The unfined, unfiltered 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve spends two years in French oak and another year in the bottle before being released. This cuvee has a long track record of aging (the 1990 and 1991 are still going strong). The dense ruby/purple-tinged 2006 offers notes of new saddle leather, black currants, autumnal vegetation/forest floor, cassis, and cherries, superb richness, and a full-bodied, powerful finish. Cellar it for 5-6 years, and drink it over the following 25 years.
Classic Napa Valley black and red fruit in the nose; also aromas of vanilla and cedar. Dense and rich on the palate with abundant, concentrated fruit and a rich, luxurious finish.
An enticing mix of sweet black cherry, chocolate, and tobacco aromas. A blend of bramble berry and black cherry fruit mixed with exotic spice, earth, and tobacco flavors, backed by substantial, velvety tannins, marvellous texture and a lengthy finish
The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is a dead-ringer for a Napa version of the famed Pauillac, Pontet-Canet. Charcoal, creme de cassis, unsmoked cigar tobacco, and earthy characteristics are present in its fragrant bouquet. It possesses sweet tannin, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and immediate accessibility, although it can be cellared for 15 more years.
The dense ruby/purple-tinged 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals classic aromas of creme de cassis, licorice, earth, and spice box in addition to chewy, rich, concentrated flavors, moderate, sweet tannin, and a long, heady finish. If past renditions are any indication, this spicy, hardy Cabernet Sauvignon should age effortlessly for 15 or more years.
The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon “Gigglepot” is composed of 92% McLaren Vale fruit and 8% Langhorne Creek fruit. Opaque purple-colored, the wine coats the glass with glycerin. It offers alluring aromas of smoke, toast, pencil lead, black currants, and blackberry. On the palate this sleek, lustrous wine is more structured than the Maitre D’. It has deeper and more intense fruit and the finish is lengthy and pure. Give it 3-4 years of additional bottle age and drink it through 2027.
Soft, plush and round, with ripe cherry and currant flavors at the fore, hinting at cedar and chocolate as the finish persists impressively against very fine tannins.
The only 2006 I tasted is a re-evaluation of the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, which is performing better now than it did last year. A dense purple color in addition to plenty of creme de cassis, crushed rock, blueberry, and brioche-like notes are found in this full-bodied Cabernet. It avoids the rustic tannins of this vintage, and exhibits good sweetness and purity of fruit. Consume it over the next 15-20 years.
The nose opens with bright fruit, currants, spice, bittersweet chocolate, cedar and lead . Jubilant fruit and bright cola berry follows with notes of caramel, dried fig and sweet cherry tannins.
Superb, mature mid-valley sites in prestigious Oak Knoll, Yountville, Spring Mountain & Oakville District AVA’s Exemplary sustainable farming practices provided beautiful clusters with perfect flavor and balanced maturity Classic Bordelaise winemaking (handwork in vineyard, modest new French oak barrels, egg-white fining) partnered with Merlot provides a bold but balanced result.
An herbal style, full-bodied, with earthen floor and leafy dried currant and berry flavors that are savory and thinning on the finish.
Our “Fin de journée” Cabernet Sauvignon comes from single vineyard sites located within the Oak Knoll, Yountville, Spring Mountain & Oakville District AVA’s. Planted in the early 1990’s these sites clonal material include Clones 4, 337 and others. The Oak Knoll and Yountville AVA’s are cooler climates, have less rainfall and soils ranging from gravel to silty clay loams. These valley floor sites yield Cabernet Sauvignon with more structure and less flash than their warmer region brethren, and with a decidedly Bordelaise sensibility, witness some neighboring wines from Dominus and Grgich Cellars. The Spring Mountain site delivered great color, aromatics and high quality grape tannins. Oakville District, well, it is just plain special: dense, deep – with great acidity.
The lustrous dark garnet color of this 2007 CRU will visually entice while aromas of creamy vanilla crème brulee and bright Bing cherry hint at what is to come. On the palate Bing cherry transitions to darker black cherries and deep black fruits. Look for a final dusting of cocoa powder on a finish that will linger blissfully. Bigger in structure than the 2006, rich fruit and oak tannins lend superior backbone while vibrant acidity provides balance and harmony.
One of Napa’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines in the $50 range is Vineyard 29's 2007 Cru. Produced by owners Chuck and Ann McMinn and their consulting winemaker, Philippe Melka, there are 5,000 cases of this blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The grapes are all purchased, and the wine is made at their state-of-the-art facility just off Highway 29 north of St. Helena. This beautiful wine exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as pure black currant fruit aromas intermixed with notions of licorice, charcoal, subtle smoke, and high class unsmoked cigar tobacco. It is an elegant, stunningly concentrated, seductive, lush wine that should age nicely for a decade or more.
right and lively, this medium-bodied Chardonnay opens with pleasing stone fruit, vanilla and floral spice aromas. On the palate, the wine is well-structured and perfectly-balanced. The wine offers an intriguing wet stone minerality along with hints of sweet pineapple and lemon that lead to notes of nectarine on the finish.
The 2007 Chardonnay Belle Terre Vineyard was put through full malolactic fermentation, making it the most showy, flamboyant wine of this quartet. It also possesses impressive minerality as well as attractive notes of apricots, tropical fruits, mangoes, honeysuckle, and a subtle touch of hazelnuts. This delicious, medium to full-bodied
This wine, which is 100% Chardonnay, was barrel fermented and aged sur lie in small French oak cooperage (55% new) for nine months. Originally made in a non-malolactic style in the 1970s and 1980s, we have found stylistically that the fruit from this ranch benefits greatly from malolactic fermentation. It now undergoes 100% malolactic fermentation.
Aromas open with crisp green apples, pears, and bright citrus such as lemon and pineapple. Notes of peach cobbler, honey and a subtle grassiness follow. A strong pallet weight with flavors of fresh citrus and tropical fruits are upheld by a bright acid backbone.
From an old Wente clone, the 2007 Chardonnay Estate (which was aged in one-third new oak) is one of Dehlinger’s bigger cuvees, with just under 1,800 cases being produced. Although closed at present, it reveals plenty of bright citrus and nectarine notes intermixed with hints of white currants and pears. Elegant and medium-bodied with a distinctive minerality, but playing it close to the vest, this wine should open up and prove to be outstanding with another 8-12 months of bottle age.
Crafted from a combination of Oak Knoll vines and longer-hanging Carneros clusters, our 2008 Napa Valley Chardonnay is satisfyingly ripe, yet focused and fresh in the same sip. Showy stone fruit, pear, hazelnut and toasty oak spices spill from the glass. Rich-bodied, fruitful and round on the palate with vanilla and subtle minerality, the wine is threaded with lively acidity bringing length and focus to a fine finish.
Rich and layered, offering complex, full-bodied pear, fig and melon flavors, with smoky, toasty notes that take on a subtle roasted marshmallow hint. Elegant and stylish, this is a shade less rich and opulent than prior vintages.
This vintage of Logan displays the appealing qualities that have come to define this wine. The color is medium-straw with great clarity. In the bouquet, aromas of kiwi and guava mingle with notes of vanilla and toast. On the palate, the wine displays a rich mouthfeel, excellent structure and good balance. The initial impression offers lush tropical fruit followed by a citrus and mineral mid-palate and a long, satisfying brioche finish.
Luxurious and hedonistic with aromas of lemon, lime, candy apple, honey, butterscotch and toffee. The are rich, ripe and silky, with notes of ripe citrus, mango, and white peach that linger long on the palate.
Delivers fresh, complex floral aromas, with baked apple, melon, fig and honeysuckle. Full-bodied, rich and layered, bold and focused, ending with a long, persistent finish.
Rombauer Vineyards’ Carneros Chardonnay has earned a reputation for being the benchmark California Chardonnay and the 2008 vintage continues that tradition. Delicious with intense pear, pineapple and tropical fruits, balanced with creamy, toasted vanilla. Refined acidity and hints of apple linger on the finish.
This wine expresses the classic character for Talbott Chardonnay. Medium straw in color, the aromatics offer up tropical flavors of guava, white peach and nectarine, accented by elements of pear, blanched almond and citrus. The intensity of the wine’s bouquet is framed by a touch of French oak and toasty brioche notes. On the palate, this vintage shows a lush richness on the initial impression, and echoes the aromatics with additional notes of guava, pear, stone fruit, almonds and sweet French oak. The finish is long, clean and bone dry with bright citrus note and minerality. We believe this to be the finest vintage of the decade.
The 2007 Chardonnay Amphitheater Block reveals tremendous minerality as well as abundant buttery lemon oil notes, a crisp, steely component, medium to full body, excellent texture, and lots of acidity. It is completely different from Chardonnays made further north.
The incredible 2007 Chardonnay Bee Block is a tour de force in mountain Chardonnay. Honeysuckle, creme brulee, buttered citrus, white peach, and baked apple characteristics emerge from this full-bodied, intense effort. With great acidity as well as fabulous precision and purity, it can be enjoyed over the next 7-8 years.
The 2006 Proprietary Red Wine Tapestry Reserve (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot) is the finest example of this cuvee I have ever tasted. Flowery, licorice-infused, cassis notes intermixed with forest floor and lead pencil shavings are followed by a layered, impressively built wine with real opulence, lots of red and black fruits, low acidity, and lush tannin. It should drink well for 15+ years.
This stunning Bordeaux blend is 40% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Syrah, 14% Merlot. Expressive aromas of coffee bean, smoke, dusty rose, gravel and fresh baked black cherry pie jump from the glass. On the palate, an entry of soft tannin quickly crescendos to intense flavors of dark chocolate, raspberries, fleur de sel caramel, plum and cherries. It finishes long with dark fruit character, mouthwatering acidity and brown sugar sweetness.
Rich and a little earthy, but offers good structure and concentration, with bright blackberry, pencil lead and spice aromas and layered plum and toasty licorice flavors. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Drink now through 2012. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 10,587 cases made.
2007 gave us dramatically riper fruit, the product of accelerated August and early September ripening weather. The blend is again dominated by Cabernet, and rounded with a large portion of Merlot. We've increased the percentage of Petit Verdot to bolster the structure, color and savory component. Cabernet Franc lends grace notes and elegance to the palate. The color is strong purple, the nose evocative of ripe plum preserves, pepper, dried herb and sweet baking spice. The palate is laid on a solid tannic structure, but with softly balanced acidity, and black fruits of depth and persistence. I would say that this is a somewhat bigger, more forward style than is usual with our Ciel bottlings, and is truly reflective of the 2007 vintage conditions. I predict it to age well for 5-10 years from the vintage date.
Polished, round and effortlessly focused, with impressive cherry, beet and pomegranate aromas and flavors, persisting beautifully against mineral and spice notes on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
Richly structured yet dense and complex. Offers appealing aromas of red currant, thyme and pencil lead, with layered black cherry and toasty mocha-oak flavors that deftly balance bold fruit and firm tannins.
The aromas are somewhat exotic, melding spicy aromas with dark cherry and blackberry notes and hi-lighted by hints of violet and lavender. The flavors are similar to the aromas with sandalwood and vanilla just beginning to give ground to the greater fruit below. It finishes long and silky, revealing its cherry core in the delicious finish.
A beautiful Merlot, noble and classic. It doesn’t have the stuffing for cellaring, but is absolutely lovely now, with fine, brisk tannins framing flavors of cherries, herbs and sweet oak, and a lingering finish. Easy to find, with 12,100 cases produced.
A pale straw yellow. Clean, crisp fragrance with intense yet elegant hints of quince. Fresh, harmonious fruit set off by slight sweetness with a long finish full of delicate, tangy flavor.
The 2008 A to Z Oregon Pinot Noir reveals all of the depth, concentration and beauty of the 2008 vintage. Deeply colored with aromas of minerals, red and black cherries, and spice, the wine opens in the mouth with rich, red and blue fruits, dark spice and dusty tannins. Great ripe acidity and tannic structure bring balance to this classic, succulent, intense wine, perhaps the most beautiful Pinot Noir we have made.
Big, ripe, smooth, a juicy red fruit scent with raspberry prominent. A very round, full bodied Pinot, immediately mouthwatering, full of red plum and cherry, with a hint of bramble, and an intense core of fruit, spice, and smoke. The balance is typical Beaux Freres - you can practically feel the perfect posture of this wine, the flavors winding around a center of silky tannins.
Aromas of black raspberry, dried rose petal and lavender followed by flavors of pomegranate, black cherry and dried orange peel. Firm, chalky and lingering mouthfeel.
A fabulous introduction, the generic cuvee, the 2007 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills (just over 1,000 cases produced), possesses a deep plum/ruby hue as well as gorgeously sweet, sexy, plum, cherry, forest floor, and spring flower notes. Sensual and medium to full-bodied with great fruit, good acidity, and an incredible Burgundian-like character that suggests something from Morey-St.-Denis or further north, it should drink well for 7-8 years.
A ripe, hedonistic vintage, this wine offers consistency with a host of late summer rubus fruits (think bysen and olallie berries) balanced with heady, floral perfume of violet and lavender and a touch of sweet smoke. The palate is a journey from luscious peach and wild strawberry with vanilla cola, hints of dark chocolate and tar, and finishes with lifted raspberry flavors that linger and mingle back to recall the depth of initial aromas. Supple tannins frame this wine with gracefully equipoised structure.
Medium ruby-colored, it offers notes of cedar, cinnamon, clove, cassis, and raspberry. This is followed by a medium- to full-bodied wine with layers of complex red fruits, enough structure to evolve for 3-4 years, excellent integration of oak, tannin, and acidity, and a lengthy finish.
Smooth and round, with a lovely polished feel to the dark berry, cherry, licorice and spice flavors, flowing easily over finely tuned tannins, persisting expressively.
Building on the traditions established by our acclaimed Goldeneye and Migration Pinot Noirs, Decoy Pinot Noir continues Duckhorn Wine Company's exploration of the depth and diversity of Anderson Valley winegrowing. Decoy Pinot Noir allows our winemaking team to highlight a distinctly plush and approachable expression of Pinot Noir that is crafted for more youthful enjoyment. The resulting wine offers bright red-fruit flavors of Bing cherry, raspberry and cranberry, alongside hints of toasty oak.
Deep garnet in color, the 2007 Pinot Noir bottling offers inviting aromas of black cherry and frambois strawberry with hints of cardamom and clove. The palate bursts with rich fruit, cherry liquor notes, toasted oak and a distinct minerality. The concentrated fruit combined with the fine-grained tannins and lifted acidity creates a defined Pinot Noir with elegance and length.
Etude’s outstanding trio of Pinot Noirs begins with the dark ruby/plum-hued 2007 Pinot Noir Estate, which offers plenty of sweet cherry, pomegranate, wood spice, and forest floor characteristics in its round, gracious, expansive personality. Enjoy it over the next 5-6 years.
A beautiful Pinot Noir, deeply flavored and complex. It shows a silky, elegant mouthfeel, with powerful flavors of cherry and raspberry purée, mocha, Dr. Pepper and smoky sandalwood. Feels solid and impressive in texture, an important wine, and will drink well though 2014.
Medium-light garnet color. Cherry compote aromas accentuated by Fennel spice and violet. Flavors evocative of roasted meats, olives and citrus add to the complexity. Acidity is balanced with supple tannins to produce a smooth, uplifting finish. Enjoy now or cellar up to 3 years.
Oyster Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir is elegant cool climate pinot noir at its best. Fragrant, soft and flavorful with aromas of ripe cherries and sweet fruit tannins that provide structure and length. cherry, ripe black plum and red berry fruits accentuated with seductive savory notes and svelte tannins.
Light, polished and highly perfumed, with lavender and spice overtones to the currant and cherry flavors, lingering easily. Drink now through 2014.
The 2008 Estate Pinot Noir is a fine example of clonal diversity coming together in one wine. This wine is youthful and approachable, with a soft acidity and a juicy mid-palate with seemless transition. The focus is decidedly Burgundian, with flavors of cherry and raspberry.
Fragrant with ripe raspberry and holiday spice, this ruby-hued pinot noir is bursting with Russian River Valley character. Its firmly structured, silky palate unfolds in a tightly-knit weave of Bing cherry and blackberry with hints of Darjeeling tea and cardamom. Subtle earthiness adds depth and is balanced by bright acidity that punctuates a lengthy finish.
A classy 2008 that rides the freeway of flavors, showing wonderful aromatics of wild raspberry, anise, black berry and spice, with touches of mineral and sage. Full-bodied, complex, vibrant, focused, intense and persistent.
The aromatics of mostly red fruits persist with sweet, ripe cherries, cranberries, pomegranates and red raspberries, and finish with a hint of orange peel, marzipan and almond paste. The wine opens up with nice, bright acidity, which leads into a juicy, lighter body with exquisite balance and structure. Flavors of red fruit mimic the nose, but with tones of sour pie cherry, cranberry and a hint of blood oranges and green herbs. The subtle tannin stretches out to a nice, dry finish with a suggestion of cinnamon stick.
Bright, jazzy and appealing for its pure currant fruit, incorporating hints of wet slate, toast and licorice as the finish persists impressively.
The wine is light straw in colour with green highlights. Aromas of gooseberry, stone-fruits and red capsicum characterise the nose with the palate showing ripe gooseberry supported by peach notes and a tantalizing minerality. This wine shows a fantastic equilibrium of concentrated fruit fl avours and zesty acidity.
This is crisp, offering a lively mouthful of peach-accented grapefruit and mineral flavors, all hanging on effortlessly through the long, graceful finish. Drink now.
One of the absolute favourites among our Lefty wines. This year, hints of the Blue Eyed Boy make themselves known on the nose and the palate. With aromas of blueberry, raspberry, violets, cedar and tobacco, it has a kaleidoscope of flavours that explode in your mouth with layers of blackberry, licorice, and spicy sweet fruit. Super-rich and opulent with a lingering finish of dark fruit and vanilla-oak. There’s a reason everyone asks for The Boxer by name. Incredible power and purity. Incredible Shiraz at an unbeatable price.
Bright and jazzy, offering an effusive mouthful of cherry, pomegranate and spice flavors that are as aromatic as they are long and vivid. This has density without great weight, and the finish keeps on going. Drink now through 2015.
Slightly better is the 2006 Syrah Shanel Vineyard. It includes 3% Viognier, but it is less noticeable at this stage. An opaque purple color is followed by enormous quantities of blackberries intermixed with tapenade, acacia flowers, and truffles. Full-bodied, meaty, and dense, it cuts an even broader mouthfeel than its sibling. It, too, can be drunk over the next decade.
There's lots of spices¿white and black pepper¿but also plenty of grapey dark berry, red licorice, herb, mineral and cedar notes. Very complex, full-blown and well-balanced, becoming even more complex on the finish, where the flavors unfold to reveal subtle nuances.
The 2008 Saldo is rich, ripe, and full-bodied, with aromas of black cherry and bramble fruit. The tannins are soft but the wine has a huge mid-palate. The soft, lush finish lingers. 2008 was a perfect vintage for Saldo. The hot weather was ideal for creating ripe zinfandel. Drink now and enjoy over the next five years.
Well-built, yet rich and stylish, with spicy blackberry aromas and zesty, layered flavors of black cherry and licorice framed by toasty oak. Offers a long, satisfying finish.
