2002 Marco Di Giulio Cabernet Sauvignon Mark K Vineyard (USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain)

30 minute decant. Nose is classic Napa Cabernet with the requisite (in my mind) creme de cassis, currant and framboise. This is pure and focused with some cool & sweet cocoa covered blackcherries and black raspberry. There is some exotic black fruits and a hint of graphite and menthol. Elegant and power all in one, this really brings on the depth and layers that I truly like. Balance is very decent with the acidity flying just a wee-bit high, but this is not a negative thing in this, tonight. Long finish keeps the black fruits going. The more you sit with this, the more you find in it, and it's all good. Grabbed these for a song, and will keep my eyes open for the 'tune' to come around again. 92pts

2002 Double Diamond (Schrader) Cabernet Sauvignon Mayacamas Range (USA, California, Sonoma County)

Black with nose of infused black cherry and violets. This comes in dense and firmly packed with tons of black fruits first and foremost being black currants. After about 15 minutes this was soft but not flabby with tannins nearly fully resolved. Balance was deft. Light notes of graphite, cola, leather and cedar were in the mix as well. Apart from being just a wee-bit one dimensional, this really showed well tonight. It went long and remained true to itself. An admirable showing indeed. 90pts

2005 Kenzo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Ai (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Pretty and pure is what this is all about. Nose of dried red currant and red raspberries with hints of exotic spices, forest floor and sassafras. Deftly balanced with a light to mid-weight mouthfeel. No hard edges. No plush, no gush, no gob and not showy, this just delivers its breed and elegance, the sort that is not so often seen these days. Strangely, when food hit the table this went dry and somewhat astringent, but came back alive once it became the center piece again, going slightly darker now. This is one of the most polished wines I have had all year. Just an incredible wine, and I won't hold the food thing against it. 94 pts

2001 Sherwin Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District)

Pop and pour. Dark in color with edges a bit red, this was totally open and ready for business. Nose of red fruits with cherries and cassis. Palate showed some aged wine stuff of cedar box, tobacco and worn leather. There was a hint of forest floor. Pure and fully integrated, this was near perfectly balanced. Somewhat Bordeaux-like, it's one of those wines that appeals to both old world and new world guys. Pretty and precise with a finish that remained consistently red fruited. After an hour or two in the decanter it got softer and just a wee-bit thinner. I would not hold these too much longer---if I owned anymore that is. 91 pts

2006 Two Hands Cabernet Sauvignon Some Days Are Diamonds (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Wine good. Dark. Chewy. Plush. Full. Intense. Pure. Balanced. Long. Pleasing.
Mike like, still. 92 pts

2001 Hartwell Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District)

Decant for 1 hour. Nose is all cassis and black cherries. The palate shows pure black fruits with loads of lead pencil, kirsch, framboise and juicy black fruits of currant, black cherries and black pomegranate. A very nicely structure that demands your attention. Phenomenal mouth feel that is all elegance and class. Near perfect lithe acidity and a tannin base that really can go many more years. Long black fruit filled finish that never wavers from its black fruit profile. A real stunner. Wish I brought this to CLONYC 28, the 2001 Napa Cab tasting. 93 pts

2000 Ojai Syrah Santa Barbara County (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County)

ose of pure ripe blackberries and black currants. Palate shows a very pure and focused Syrah that has tons of black fruits. There is some red raspberries, pomegranate and Kirsch Royal. Balance is near perfect with tannins nearly fully resolved. Acidity it fresh and bouncy. There is a nie minerality with this one and a real 'roundness' approaching plushiness that really pleases as well as a pretty sarsaparilla quality I like. Taken into account the price paid ($15) I have to say. Wow. 93 pts

2008 Two Hands Cabernet Sauvignon Some Days Are Diamonds (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Black and opaque. The nose is warm blackberry pie with some primary youthful wine qualities. Palate shows much plushness with a entirely black fruit profile that hits all the major players and is densely packed and rambunctious. A wall of TRB comes at you and there is no mistake who had his two hands in this wine. Medium weight and actually quite deft when you take into account its youth, source and overall style. There is some dark chocolate, graphite shavings and rubber new leather with some violets and macerated black plum skins.Nicely balanced and full nearly as full throttle as its older sibling, if anything maybe lacking in just a wee-bit of dimension, but what do you want for $22. Long finish as you would expect, this will only get better and drink really well for the next 4-5 years. When you take into account the price point of this wine and the goodness it delivers, it won't take you long to call the the QPR of the year. 92 pts

2006 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Pop and pour, just through a Vinturi. (as read on a late note via Cellartracker)
Pretty black fruits of currant & black cherries. Pretty with notes of spring flowers and warm river stones. Medium weighted wine that was well balanced and long on the finish. Last glass sans vinturi: different wine. Angular and somewhat awkward now with some bramble and minerality toward the back palate that nears distraction. It started as a 90 and went to an 87. Before I was looking for a case. Now? Not so much. Viva la Vinturi! 89 pts

2002 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville (USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville)

Last bottle. Great showing. Classically Mondavi. Deep and dark, near viscous. Nose of subdued rose petals, black currant and ripened blackberries. Palate has the black fruit profile I love concentrating of the more traditional genre: Black currant, black raspberries and hints of black plum pumice. There is some lead pencil, cedar-box, cocoa powder and cola. Tannins still alive and in charge, but the main character in this and most good Mondavi wines of a bygone era is the acidity: Mr Mondavi had always strived for a food friendly wine when he made his Cabs, and this reflects the devotion and success. This mediuam weight wines deserves a thick medium rare sirloin with all the fixings. A wonderful expression of a wine that made me fall in love with Cabernet oh so many years back; before Herold, Brown and Hirby hit the scene. (all great winemakers of today, BTW....... and point added for nostalgic effect.) 93 pts

2006 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Needs an hour in the decanter, minimum. Nose of sweet blackberries and black raspberries with a wispy note of black currant. One taste reveals a plushness, richness and a bit of gobbiness. Tannins are erect and super-present and acidity pronounced nicely. This is not a shy wine. There is some dried herbs, spring flowers and vanilla bean. Precise and abundant, this needs a few more years to really evolve into something special. It had shed some of its appealing (to me) baby fat and might be in a slumber stage. I will hold my 750s until 2013, and I recommend you do the same. 92 pts

2005 Henschke Shiraz Tappa Pass (Australia, South Australia, Barossa)

Pop & pour, (screw top).
Super dark. Truly opaque. Deep dark fruits of blackberries and ripe black-cherry on the nose. Palate shows much the same with added black cassis cocoa powder and cardamom. A regal wine that screams class. Mid palate shows a sweet & creamy richness. Tannins are pretty well behaved and seem to be resolving nicely and overall balance is pretty good. Long finish completes this one nicely. A very pleasing wine that fit the bill perfectly for a lazy Sunday at home. 91 pts

2000 Andrew Murray Syrah Roasted Slope (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley)

Consistent with my last note, this shows a sweet red/blue fruit profile with hints of burnt caramel. It has not been my favorite Andrew Murray to date. Did the roasted slope bit have to be so.....literal? 88 pts

2007 Round Pond Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford)

I actually dislike the word delicious, but need to use it here. This wine is pure and simply delicious. Pretty nose of fresh cherries, kirsch, and spring flowers. Palate has such a purity, we need another....well, you know. It is lush and bursting at the seams with all good....cab....stuff. There is the freshest fruit profile I have encountered all year; fantastic red-black currant, cherries, sweet red raspberry, blackberry liquor and more. Hints of graphite, vanilla, framboise and love. The love comes in many forms, too many to pinpoint. Balance is impeccably deft with large but well behavin' tannins. Acidity rides a wee-bit high, but it is almost needed with this, now, here, tonight. If I said it before, I will unabashedly repeat it: it's a pretty wine, very pretty. A super finish keeps really rounds this one out like the moon at 'harvest moon' time of the year. Just incredible. 95 pts

2000 Colgin Cariad (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Medium red in color with pretty crimson edges. Nose of dried red fruits with the forefront being cherries. The palate shows very refined and pure, and a low key elegance that showed breed and femininity. There is some warm-earth and dried red fruits and more of a red raspberry/cherry as well as some red currant components. Some dried tea leaf, worn leather, and spring white flowers become evident. As time passed, any variances from these first impressions were minute, maybe just a gaining of a bit more mid-palate weight as well as a softer tannin attack, but those tannins do seem fully resolved and impeccably balanced. Classically structured and such a beautiful (not to mention welcomed) Cabernet-blend expression from such a dismal year in the valley. Just Fantastic. 94 pts

2008 Elizabeth Spencer Cabernet Sauvignon Special Cuvée Napa Valley (USA, California, Napa Valley)

So, yeah, it's primary, shoot me. Nose of red cherries and red plums with hints of red currant. Not a bruiser and certainly more of the feminine variety of Napa Cab. It's pretty and pure with a bright & plushy light to medium weight mouth feel. Attack is focused and precise, this has some new leather, warm cinnamon and a quaint hint of lead pencil shavings. Nice balance with a nice red fruited finish. Although I knew going in this was a youngster, I am glad to see what's in it, sort of my sneak preview. For $20 per half, I may stock up a bit for drinking beyond the new year. Decant now and enjoy. 91 pts

2007 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard (USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville)

This was chocolate malted squared. Red fruits masked with some gobbiness and a bit messy overall. Difficult to get a good read on this one tonight. 2007 Cabs have not been kind to me. Not sure what else I can say. n/r

2002 Domaine Georg Rafael Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder)

Always the dark horse/left fielder and always a winner. This Farella made wine just brings it; it might not be loud and it might not stop the show, but deliver it does. Reddish black fruits with purity and poise. Somewhat in between the classic/new Napa style. Some great hints of leather saddle, graphite and espresso. A long finish completes this nicely. My #3 on the night. 92 pts

2002 St. Helena Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sympa Napa Valley Reserve (USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena)

Now we are firmly in new Napa territory. A Mark Herold hay-day wine, this had a solid black wall of fruits with cassis and pomegranate first and foremost. Big boned with a plush vanilla infused mouthfeel with exotic tea, pencil shavings and cola. Near perfect balance. This was a bit more of a bruiser than the KL.. Those same Francophiles were now running for 'zee hills'… 93 pts

1992 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Alexander Valley (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley)

Right into it, this reminded me of a Beringer Reserve of the same era, and I am not quite sure why. It has some sweet eucalyptus with pretty black fruits. Some framboise and cherry herring was in this mix too. Great balance with a classically sexy mouthfeel. Long finish. Very nice indeed. 91 pts