1985 Diamond Creek - Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (94 pts)

ℹ️ The wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Petit Verdot from the Volcanic Hill single vineyard in Diamond Mountain AVA of Napa Valley, California. The vines were planted in 1968 on ashy soil of the south-facing hillside estate vineyard. The wines were aged in 💯 new French oak.

👁 Deep ruby color with a pale garnet rim. Incredibly youthful appearance.

👃 An expressive nose that didn't show its true potential until the end of a long evening. The nose started with ripe to overripe black fruit and pen ink, but with air showed rosemary, lavender, pen ink, sweet baking spices, and dried leaves.

👄 The palate is dry, high acidity, medium+ brawny tannins, moderate alcohol (12.5%), and medium+ body. The palate had a ton of primary fruit that was ripe but not jammy. Quite dense and mouth coating but quickly cut by the beautiful acidity. Medium+ length finish of black fruit, garrigue, and integrated oak spice.

🔔 When will the Diamond Creek wines from the 80s be ready? Well, no one really knows exactly. If you get a well-stored bottle like this one, don't be afraid to decant it or open it a day in advance. The Volcanic Hill started as my least favorite wine of the trio, and by the end of the night, it was challenging the Dominus. These wines are almost impossible to catch at their peak due to their backward nature. Yes, yes, it was beautiful, but the patience required to enjoy these wines in the modern era is almost inconceivable. I haven't had a young Diamond Creek in ages, but it seems like I should be drinking their wines from the 70s now.

 1985 Diamond Creek - Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (94

🍷 What was the last wine where you thought wine critics missed the mark?

ℹ️ The wine is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, all from Napanook Vineyard in Napa Valley, California. The wine spent ~18 months in French oak barrels with 20% new oak. The wine was bottle aged an additional 2 years before being released.

👁 Deep garnet color with a pale rim. It was not showing as much age as I would have thought for 36 years of age.

👃 Very Express on the nose showing a combination of ripe and dried black cherry, blackcurrant, and blackberry. Loads of development showing sweet tobacco, well-worn leather jacket, cedar, and forest floor.

👄 The palate is dry, medium+ acidity, moderate ripe, chewy tannins, well-balanced alcohol (13.4%), and medium+ body. This wine is on another level on the palate with a silky smooth texture, wonderfully seamless from beginning to end, and a long lingering finish.

🔔 Only the third vintage of Dominus Estate, firing on all cylinders at 36 years of age. 1985 Dominus is now at its peak, but it should hang here for another decade. This wine blew away the top Châteaux in 1985 in our tasting, but 1985 is a better vintage in Napa than Bordeaux. This wine didn't see much critical acclaim when initially reviewed. To be fair, the wine must have been very tightly wound in its youth. Stunning wine! 👏👏👏

 1985 Dominus Estate (95 pts) @dominusestatewinery 🍷 What

ℹ️ This wine is a Bordeaux Blend from Napa Valley, California. The blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 3% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. 2001 is the first vintage for Winemaker, Michael Silacci. After harvest, the grapes macerated on their skins for 32 days. The wine was aged for 17 months in new French oak·

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of blackcurrant jam, black cherry, black plum, dried leaves, oak, cedar, tobacco, dried herbs, thyme, semi-sweet cocoa powder, and nutmeg·

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ ripe tannins, high alcohol (14.2%), and medium+ body. A medium+ length finish of dark chocolate covered cherries and nutmeg spice·

🔔 This wine is not showing much age with its appearance or on the palate. It is bold and ripe, rather fruit-forward. The nose is quite charming, and the mouthfeel is silky. I will say that the palate comes across as sweeter and riper than the nose. Still a healthy amount of tannins and good acidity for structure, that should continue to hold for some time. I would have expected a bit more development, but this is still very fruit-driven. Overall, a riper vintage and quite extracted, but not bombastic like some wines in Napa. I preferred some of the other vintages in the lineup ·

 2001 Opus One - Napa Valley (92 pts) @opusonewinery  · ℹ️

ℹ️ This wine is simply labeled as a Napa Valley red wine, but it is mostly comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon with minor portions of other Bordeaux grape varieties. While the word Promontory means "headland," there is no water surrounding it, but it is an isolated area of the Napa Valley that a microcosm unto itself. In 2013, there were 42 different harvest passes in the vineyard, resulting in 30 separate vinifications. The vinifications were aged separately for a year before making a final blend. The wines were aged for five years in large neutral casks from Stockinger in Austria. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

👁 Deep ruby color with noticeable staining.

👃 Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe blackberry, black currant, boysenberry, menthol, rosemary, sweet tobacco, oak, baking spices, lead pencil, rose stems, and dried violets.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ silky tannins, high alcohol (14.3%), and full body. The texture is velvety and gorgeous on the palate. A long length finish of pristine black fruit, rosemary, violets, and sweet tobacco.

🔔 The 2013 Promontory is one of the finest young cult wines that I have tasted. This wine is already accessible with a bit of time in a decanter. Gorgeous fruit, lovely acidity, and silky tannins are all wrapped up with beautiful energy on the palate that lingers on to an incredibly long finish. These wines are costly, and I do not factor in price to my reviews, but I will say this meets my expectations for a cult status wine. This wine will age for decades, but it is undoubtedly elegant and charming over the near term.

 2013 Promontory - Napa Valley (97 pts) @promontorywine ℹ️

ℹ️ This wine is a Bordeaux Blend from Napa Valley, California. The blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec. 2005 was the most extended growing cycle for the Opus One vineyards with a prolonged harvest that ended in November.  After harvest, the grapes macerated on their skins for 29 days. The wine was aged for 18 months in new French oak·

👃 Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of black cherry preserves, black plum, blackberry, blackcurrant, oak, cedar, clove, vanilla, rose stems, thyme, espresso grounds, and cardamom·

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ fine-grained tannins, high alcohol (14%), and full body. Extremely layered on the palate. A long length finish of myriad of black fruit, baking spices, and thyme·

🔔 The 2005 vintage is still not at peak in my opinion, while delicious and layered it still has room to improve with additional cellaring. The fruit is ripe without being overtly sweet. The clove and cardamom spice from the oak add a lovely component and will continue to integrate with time, making it even more seemless. The silkiness and freshness on the palate show the real elegance of this wine. Well done👏·

 2005 Opus One - Napa Valley (94 pts) @opusonewinery  · ℹ️

2015 Heitz Cellar - Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (91 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California. These grapes come from two estate vineyards in St. Helena, the Only One Vineyard, and the Spring Valley Vineyard. The vineyards are certified organic. The grapes were harvested early, presumably to preserve acidity. The Heitz Cellars' aging regimen is unique, even with this bottle as the entry point to the Heitz Cellar style taking four years before release. The wine aged in a combination of large oak vats and French oak barrels for three years, followed by a year in bottle.

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe and candied black currant, raspberry, blackberry, oak, sawdust, clove, violet, menthol, and oregano.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium ripe tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and medium+ body. The palate is more stewed fruit with a bit more oak spice and smooth, ripe tannins. A medium length finish of black and red fruit, clove, and menthol.

🔔 This wine is a textbook Napa Cabernet from an iconic Producer. I am always impressed by how much cellaring this wine gets even when it is only the starting point of the Heitz Cellar lineup. The nose has some high toned fruit aromas on the verge of candied. The palate reigns that in with bright acidity and forgiving tannins. The oak influence is noticeable, but very well integrated across the board. The slight herbal menthol and oregano notes are refreshing. No part of this wine is massive. I would call it plush and charming.

 2015 Heitz Cellar - Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (91 pts)

2015 Beringer Vineyards - Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (92 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot from vineyards across the Napa Valley, California. The wine consists of grapes from the following Napa appellations: 62% Howell Mountain, 28% St Helena, 6% Spring Mountain, and 4% Mount Veeder.  The wine is aged for 20 months in French oak barrels with 80% new oak.  The wine is bottle-aged for another 12 months before release.

👁 Deep ruby color with heavy staining.

👃 Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of stewed blackberry, boysenberry, black plum, oak, smoke, vanilla, whole cream, licorice, clove, cardamom, and mocha.

👄 The wine is dry, high acidity, high ripe spicy tannins, high alcohol (15.2%), and full body. Extremely dark and dense on the palate with a lot of baking spices. A medium+ length finish of reduced black fruit, oak spices, and mocha.

🔔 Beringer Private Reserve has always been one of those wines that don't necessarily get the credit it is due. Possibly due to the size of the broader Beringer portfolio. The 2015 is loaded with fruit concentration and structure built to age. The oak spices take over the palate, although the fruit does manage to peak through to let you know it is there. The finish is long, but the alcohol becomes more prevalent at the tail end. This wine will improve with age, but at the moment, it is dense and chewy. I would at least wait 5-7 years before opening. This wine is still undervalued!

 2015 Beringer Vineyards - Private Reserve Cabernet

Interview with Braiden Albrecht the Winemaker at Mayacamas. We discussed the 2007 Mayacamas Chardonnay and the 2004 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon. The conversation covered how the wines are made to be age-worthy for such long drinking windows. We discussed the location of the winery on Mt. Veeder which is a dormant volcano.

 Interview with Braiden Albrecht the Winemaker at Mayacamas

Getting ready for the Opus One vertical tasting. Wines are all poured. Ready to start.

 Getting ready for the Opus One vertical tasting. Wines are

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Sauvignon Blanc from two vineyards in Napa Valley, California. The wine is partially (25%) aged in neutral French oak for six months, and the majority (75%) is aged in stainless steel barrels for six months.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of yuzu, grapefruit pith, lemon zest, ripe pear, barely ripe pineapple, mild jack fruit, and lemongrass.

👄 The wine is dry, high penetrating acidity, medium alcohol (13.3%), and medium+ body. The palate shows a fleshiness to it that is cut down by the acidity. A medium- length finish of grapefruit pith, yuzu, and lemongrass.

🔔 The 2019 Massican Sauvignon Blanc has a great mixture of ripe fruits teetering on tropical, pithy citrus, and a sprig of lemongrass for depth. Fun, delicious, and balanced wine that comes in at 13.3% for Napa Valley. If this is on the brunch menu, then buy it without hesitation.

 2019 Massican - Sauvignon Blanc (90 pts) @massicanwinery ℹ️

🍷Seavey Vineyard virtual tasting and discussion with Winemaker, Jim Duane. Join us this Friday at 4pm PST as we taste through the latest releases from Seavey Vineyard

👨🏼‍🏫Jim Duane will be teaching about the Seavey approach to Viticulture and Winemaking·

 🍷Seavey Vineyard virtual tasting and discussion with

1993 Beringer Vineyards - Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (91 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc from vineyards across the Napa Valley, California. The wine consists of grapes from Napa appellations: 75% Howell Mountain and 25% St Helena. 1993 had rain in the spring ending a five-year drought and followed by a warm summer. The result was a prolonged harvest with optimal ripening conditions. The wine is aged for 20 months in French oak barrels with 💯 new oak.

👁 Deep garnet color with a fading rim.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of dried and stewed blackberry, black currant, black cherry, oak, cedar, char, leather, coffee grounds, dark chocolate, dried leaves, and baking spices.

👄 The wine is dry, high acidity, medium-sized resolved tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and medium+ body. Oak influence and dried fruit are prevalent in the palate. A medium length finish of dried black fruit, dark chocolate, and coffee grounds.

🔔 1993 Beringer Private Reserve, at this point, is a distinguished gentleman of a wine with a story to tell, but not holding up to its former glory. A lovely wine to taste, and if you like aged wines, then you will surely enjoy these bottles over the next few years, but definitely at a plateau that will eventually start to give way.

 1993 Beringer Vineyards - Private Reserve Cabernet

😍 Opening and drinking aged wine puts me in my happy place·

🤯 Cellaring quality wines can often open up another level of complexity and nuance for a wine·

😢 Sadly the expectation of cellaring wine is going away if not gone already. This change is impacting how many wines are made today, so they can be enjoyed young·

🕰 Will current day wines still give you the same pleasure with proper cellaring? Only time will tell·

 🍷Do you cellar wine?· 😍 Opening and drinking aged wine puts

1994 Dunn Vineyards - Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon (97 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Cabernet Sauvignon from estate vineyards in the Howell Mountain AVA in Napa Valley, California. They pioneered planting mountain Cabernet in 1979. Now they farm a combined 42 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon across five vineyards on Howell Mountain. The AVAs boundary starts at 1400 ft above sea level, so even when it is cool and foggy on the valley floor, it is sunny and breezy on Howell Mountain. The wines are known for their fierce tannins and striking acidity that delineates the mountain fruit from the valley floor. The wine was aged for 32 months in 💯 new French oak and sealed with a signature red wax capsule.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe to dried blackberry, black currant, black cherry, oak, cedar, tobacco, leather, extinguished campfire, herbal, sage, pine needles, dried chili, clove, and other baking spices.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium fine-grained tannins, medium alcohol (13%), and full body. The finish is exceptionally long, with flavors of ripe, overripe, and dried black fruits followed by sage and tobacco.

🔔 I am tasting this wine for the third time in 2020. It is still on point and pristine example of pedigree Howell Mountain fruit. This wine is in the best spot of all three bottles. Again I expect some bottle variation at this age. This is a world-class wine, especially from this iconic 1994 vintage. Excellent acid backbone and time has mellowed what must have been ferocious tannins, and everything culminates in a long finish with layers of concentrated flavors. They say patience is a virtue, which is needed to drink these wines in their prime window. My preference is to purchase wines of good provenance at auction. Who says you can't buy patience?

 1994 Dunn Vineyards - Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 estate grown Chardonnay from Napa Valley, California. The Stony Hill property was purchased in 1943 and planted with Chardonnay vines in 1947, which at the time was Avante Garde. The Wente clone was planted on Volcanic soils at 600 ft above the valley floor and is dry farmed. The first vintage was in 1952, and from the beginning, they were inspired by the wines of Chablis. The Stony Hill style has remained consistent over the decades: fruit-forward, minimal skin contact, no malolactic fermentation, minimal lees contact, and no new oak. The wines are aged in old neutral oak for 9 months before bottling. The wines receive an additional year of bottle age before release·

👁 Deep lemon color (photo doesn't do it justice)·

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of yellow peach, nectarine, grilled pineapple, quince paste, grapefruit pith, orange blossom, flint, and smoke·

👄 The wine is dry, high acidity, medium alcohol (13%), and medium+ body. Good texture with fennel seed spice on the palate. The medium+ length finish of peach preserves, quince paste, and flint·

🔔 Stony Hill Chardonnay is an exception for Chardonnay from the Napa Valley. It is so old school that it is a new school again. I will say that this style needs age, and I don't start to enjoy them until they have 5+ years of age on them. Before that time, the wines can be tightly wound and almost earthy on the palate. This wine was singing with a ton of fruit on the nose and palate. These wines have a great acidic backbone, moderate alcohol, and a lengthy finish. This Chardonnay is just entering it's prime and has a long runway.

 2011 Stony Hill - Chardonnay (92 pts) @stonyhillvineyard  ·

2016 Quintessa -  Rutherford Red (95 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯estate fruit from the Quintessa estate in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California. The wine is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The property has been farmed organically since it started in 1989 and switched to Biodynamic Viticulture in 1996. The 130 acres of vines are divided into 26 blocks matching the contour of the land. Blocks are broken down even further when harvest decisions are made and vinified separately. Hand-harvested, native yeast fermentations, and an average of 22 days of skin maceration. Aged for 20 months on French oak barrels with 75% new oak. Through blind tasting trials, the wines are blended to form one estate wine·

👃 Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, raspberry sorbet, sage, lavender, violets, oak, vanilla, clove, mocha, cedar, and sweet tobacco·

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, high grippy ripe tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and full body. A long length finish of blackberry, lavender, violets, and clove·

🔔 This wine was tasted with the winemaker, Rebekah Wineburg, during an Instagram Live session. The 2016 vintage is impeccable and accessible now with a serious amount of time in a decanter. This wine was even better on day two. The 2016 vintage will only get better with time. While this wine was made in a very similar manner as the 2017, this just shows that when everything comes together as it did in 2016 for Quintessa that it can transcend to the next level. The vision of Quintessa is to make one world-class wine from one estate and with the 2016 vintage, they are well on the way·

 2016 Quintessa -  Rutherford Red (95 pts) @quintessawinery

🙌🙌🙌 Super excited to unwrap these wines from

🍷After seeing the videos from Winemaker Michael Silacci

 talking about the vineyards of Opus One, I reached out to see if he would be interested in discussing the age-worthiness of Napa wines·

🔔 Stay tuned for details coming soon·

 🙌🙌🙌 Super excited to unwrap these wines from @opusonewinery

2014 Heitz Cellar - Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (93 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Trailside Vineyard in the Rutherford AVA of Napa Valley, California. Trailside Vineyard is aged in a range of French oak vessels, both new and old, from barriques to large oak vats for four years, followed by two years in bottle.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe and stewed blackberry, black raspberry, black plum, cedar, dark fruit leather, licorice, blackcurrant leaf, dried herbs, and pine needles.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium ripe tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and medium+ body. The ripe fruit dominates the palate but with remarkable acidity and balanced tannins. A medium+ length finish of ripe black fruit, dried herbs, and oak spice.

🔔 Another classically styled Napa Cabernet shows concentration without being heavy. Everything is in the right place. The oak aging regiment softened the tannins to make this quite enjoyable even though young. Trailside Vineyard is in the Goldilocks zone. It is a step up in quality from the regular Napa Valley bottling but far more accessible than the big sister Martha's Vineyard bottling. Heitz Cellar keeps making great wines with an evident pedigree.

 2014 Heitz Cellar - Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Kapcsándy Family Winery - Roberta's Reserve State Lane Vineyard (94 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc from the estate owned State Lane Vineyard in the Yountville AVA of Napa Valley. In 2002, the vines were planted at a high density on heavy clay and volcanic soils, nearest to the Napa River. The grapes are hand-harvested and go through several sorting passes: in the vineyard, clusters at the destemmer, and individual berries on the conveyer belt. The wine is aged 20 months in French oak barrels with 75% new oak and 25% second fill. In the 2017 vintage, only 200 cases were made.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe black cherry, raspberry, mixed berry sorbet, red plum, oak, cedar, heavy cream, clove, star anise, and lilacs.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium fine-grained tannins, high alcohol (14.2%), and medium+ body. More concentrated on the palate from ripe to preserves with a mix of baking spices. A long length finish of cherry preserves, raspberry sorbet, star anise, and lilacs.

🔔 Simply put, this is the finest expression of Merlot that I have had in California. This wine will change your mindset about what is possible for Merlot in Napa when the right effort in the vineyard is applied. I would not have guessed something so chiseled and elegant from the valley floor Merlot. This bottle was decanted for 6-8 hours, and per usual, the last glass was the best. This vintage of Roberta's Reserve is refined and seamless, with all of the potential to hold its own with the great Merlot wines of the world. The 2017 has plenty of room to improve with additional cellaring, but recommend 5-10 years to reach optimal potential.

 2017 Kapcsándy Family Winery - Roberta's Reserve State Lane

ℹ️ This wine is a Bordeaux Blend from Napa Valley, California. The blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec. 2010 was a very challenging vintage from cold days, untimely rain, and unpredictable heat spikes.  After harvest, the grapes macerated on their skins for 19 days. The wine was aged for 18 months in new French oak·

👃 Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe blackberry, blackcurrant, lead pencil, roasted jalapeno, dried ancho chili, oak, cedar, wood charcoal, rosemary, sweet tobacco, leather, and licorice·

👄 The wine is dry, high acidity, high chewy tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and medium+ body. It is extremely layered on the palate. An incredibly long length finish of perfectly ripe black fruits, tobacco, dried chili, and licorice·

🔔 Although the 2010 vintage may have been tumultuous in the vineyard, this wine is divine in the glass. Simply put, this is the most exceptional vintage of Opus One that I have tasted even going back to the late 80s and early 90s. Michael Silacci worked some magic this year. Layers upon layers of flavor and the wine still has room to improve. I would cellar this for at least five more years to get into the sweet spot. The oak should integrate and become even more seamless on the palate. Exceptional💪🍷·

 2010 Opus One - Napa Valley (96 pts) @opusonewinery  · ℹ️

ℹ️ This wine is simply labeled as a Napa Valley red wine but is mostly comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon with minor portions of other Bordeaux grape varieties. While the word Promontory means "headland," there is no water surrounding it, but it is an isolated area of the Napa Valley that a microcosm unto itself. The first commercial release of the wine was the 2009 vintage. In 2009, there were 60 different harvest passes in the vineyard, resulting in 40 separate vinifications. After a year of aging, the final blend was selected only using 21 of the vinifications. The wines are aged for five years in large neutral casks from Stockinger in Austria. Promontory is the first time winery to use Stockinger casks having them imported to the USA. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe raspberry, red plum, black cherry, blackcurrant, thyme, mint, red licorice, leather, and peat.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ drying tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and full body. The texture is velvety and gorgeous on the palate. A long length finish of layers of black and red fruit, dried herbs, and leather.

🔔 The 2009 Promontory is impeccably made and provides a broad spectrum of pristine fruit, great energy with vibrant acidity, and an extremely long lingering finish. While I enjoyed the 2009 Promontory, it is a stellar wine, but I have to say some of the later vintages are even more compelling than this one. It's like jewelry shopping. You can only spot the nuanced differences when looking through a clear lens in comparison. Overall, I will say that these wines, in general, are a lot more approachable when young, than Bond and Harlan, probably due to the long aging in the Stockinger casks. This wine will age for decades.

 2009 Promontory - Napa Valley (94 pts) @promontorywine ℹ️

We are getting ready for the Vertical Tasting of Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

 will be walking me through four decades of wines on Instagram Live. Join us at 5 pm PST. We will be tasting the 1984, 1994, 2004, and 2014 vintages. I am excited 🤩🤩🤩 , and I hope you join us!·

 We are getting ready for the Vertical Tasting of Dunn

ℹ️ This wine is a Bordeaux Blend from Napa Valley, California. The blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec. 2016 was the 5th consecutive year of a drought in Northern California.  After harvest, the grapes macerated on their skins for 17 days. The wine was aged for 18 months in new French oak·

👃 Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe almost candied blackcurrant, black cherry, blackberry, oak, vanilla, cream, black licorice, anise, sage, mint tea, and violets·

👄 The wine is dry, high acidity, high ripe tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and full body. Creamy and mouth-coating on the palate. A long length finish of very ripe black fruit, anise, and sage·

🔔 This wine is not ready for consumption. 2016 is the current release and should not be touched for a decade. The score is for right now after a healthy decant. The fruit is pure but pushing the edge of ripeness without quite going over. The fruit needs time to shed some baby fat and allow the oak flavors to merge into the wine. Right now, it is almost hedonistic. The acidity helps keep it in check. It will tone down and smooth out in time·

 2016 Opus One - Napa Valley (93 pts) @opusonewinery  · ℹ️

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Sauvignon Blanc from estate owned Tench Vineyard in Oakville, Napa Valley. The fruit comes from Block 7, which has two different clones, clone 1 and clone musqué. Fermentation and aging take place in stainless steel for 6 months before being released.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe grapefruit, grilled pineapple, guava, clementine, whole cream, créme brûlée, and toast.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (14.2%), and full body. The palate texture is very creamy. The finish is medium length with notes of grilled pineapple and clementine.

🔔 White Bordeaux is a very underrated category of wine, so it is always fun to see Winemakers in Napa putting their spin on Sauvignon Blanc. While this wine was not barrel aged, I believe there were oak staves used during aging given the toast and grilled fruit notes. The wine is ripe on the nose and full-bodied in the mouth with good acidity throughout. The alcohol is a bit high, as felt by its presence on the finish. It is still early days for Tench Vineyards to make wines from their vineyards, so I look forward to seeing the evolution here.

 2019 Tench Vineyards - Sauvignon Blanc @tenchvineyards ℹ️

Interview with Mark Beringer. We discussed his entry into the world of wine from a winemaking family. We tasted through a vertical of the Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon wines from 1983, 1993, 2006, 2015, and 2016. Mark gave us a breakdown of each vintage and the blend. We discussed tasting notes and drinking windows as well. I want to thank Bering Vineyards and Mark Beringer for their support in the form of time and wines.

 Interview with Mark Beringer. We discussed his entry into

🍷🆚🍷 Next Wine Battle: Bordeaux Blend

🇫🇷 2016 Château Cos d'Estournel - Saint-Estèphe

 🍷🆚🍷 Next Wine Battle: Bordeaux Blend 🇫🇷 2016 Château Cos

Stony Hill Virtual Tasting and Interview with Stéphane Vivier·

🎙 Join my Instagram Live interview with Stéphane Vivier, Winemaker at Stony Hill

 located on Spring Mountain in Napa Valley, California, on Tuesday, June 16th, at 5:30 pm PST. Jeff will give us a history of the winery. We will discuss their style of Chardonnay and how their vineyard site on Spring Mountain helps define the wine·

🍷 We will taste the 2011 and 2017 Stony Hill Chardonnay. Some of the hallmarks are minimal skin contact, minimal lees contact, blocked malolactic fermentation, and neutral oak aging. Please join our Instagram Live and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories·

 Stony Hill Virtual Tasting and Interview with Stéphane

1992 Araujo Estate - Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (95 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Cabernet Sauvignon from Eisele Vineyard. In 2013, the Araujo's sold the winery and vineyard to the owners of Château Latour. The wines are simply labeled Eisele Vineyard now. The 1992 growing season was moderate but had a heatwave in late August followed by cooler temperatures in September. The grapes were harvested and fermented in stainless steel tanks in mid-September. The wine was aged for 25 months in 💯 new French oak barrels. After bottling, it was aged for another 10 months before release in 1995. Only 810 cases were produced.

👁 Deep ruby color with a slight garnet hue on the rim.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe black currant, blackberry, black cherry, tomato leaf, dried log, cedar, baking spices, gravel, leather, black licorice, rosemary, and dried bouquet of flowers.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium fine-grained tannins, medium alcohol (13.4%), and full body. A lot of concentration on the palate is highlighted by the sweetness of ripe to stewed fruit black fruits. The tannins are silky, sophisticated, and mouth coating. A long length finish of pure black fruit, licorice, leather, and baking spices.

🔔 The 1992 Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolutely gorgeous example of a perfectly balanced wine from a cooler year in Napa. This wine is fully mature but can stay at this level for at least a decade with no signs of degradation. I miss these lower alcohol wines of Napa. The Eisele Vineyard is one of the great vineyard sites for Napa Valley. When I met Bart and Daphne Araujo, I asked them why Joseph Phelps didn't acquire this vineyard when it was up for sale in 1990. They said that Joe admitted it was a big mistake, especially since the Araujo's decided to make their own wine and not sell him the fruit anymore. Fabulous vineyard and stunning wines. If you can find these wines, snap them up.

 1992 Araujo Estate - Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (95

2018 Schrader - RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (96 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard in the Oakville AVA of Napa Valley, California. The To Kalon is probably the most famous single vineyard in Napa if not all of California. The wine was aged in 💯 new French oak for 20 months.

👃 Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe blackberry, raspberry, black currant candy, roasted herbs, evergreen, oak, char, cardamom, clove, vanilla bean, rosehip, and violets.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, high fine-grained tannins, high alcohol (14.6%), and full body. There is a lot of structure to the wine, but the silky texture transitions from front to back. A long length finish of ripe brambly fruit, sweet baking spices, and wild herbs.

🔔 I love everything about this wine right now, which is mind-blowingly good for only being a 2018. This is what happens when you combine an excellent vintage (2018) with a cult Producer (Schrader) with fruit from the top vineyard in Napa (To Kalon) and let a rockstar Winemaker (Thomas Brown) do his thing. My only knock on the wine is that it is still tight, and it needs a good 5-7 years of cellaring to show what it is capable of being. Baller wine 🍷

 2018 Schrader - RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet

Opus One Instagram Live Vertical Tasting and Interview with winemaker Michael Silacci·

🎙 Join my Instagram Live interview with Michael Silacci, Winemaker at Opus One

 , ‪on Wednesday, May 27th, at 5:00 pm PST. We will be talking about the age-worthiness of Napa Valley wines by looking at four vintages of Opus One. We will discuss how the aging of wines offers a different tasting dimension at various windows·

🍷 Michael has selected the 2001, 2005, 2010, and 2016 vintages of Opus One to give us a foundation for our conversation. It will be interesting to see how the wines have aged and the impact of vintage variation. Please join our Instagram Live and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories·

 Opus One Instagram Live Vertical Tasting and Interview with

2017 Seavey Vineyard - Caravina Cabernet Sauvignon (92 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 estate fruit from Seavey Vineyard in Napa Valley, California. The wine is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Each vineyard block is harvested, vinified, and aged separately. The wine is aged for 20 months in French oak barrels with 40% new oak·

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe blackcurrant, blackberry, cedar, vanilla, clove, earthy, sage, and violets·

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ chewy tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and medium+ body. A medium+ length finish of blackcurrant preserves and clove spice·

🔔 Often the words Napa plus Cabernet Sauvignon equals prices greater than $100. This wine delivers a lot for the price point. The fruit is pristine, the oak is well integrated, and it has a structure to rewards those that can wait. I would recommend a few hours of decanting before consumption, regardless this is enjoyable and has a long life ahead of it·

 2017 Seavey Vineyard - Caravina Cabernet Sauvignon (92 pts)

Great advice in the simplest way possible. Great label...simple... Credit to this goes to