2010 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Gioia Vineyard (USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast)

Strawberry color with a nose macerated bright red strawberries, pomegranate and spring flowers---pretty great. Palate reveals soft gushy red berry fruits with creamy textured mouthfeel. Acidity rides slightly up-ticks (fantastic food friendliness on this) with tannins being slightly chewy. A wonderful structure controls the second part of the journey which goes from easy to corral to a wild unbreakable maverick. Intoxicating notes of soft coco infused strawberries come out at the half-way mark in addition to some nice minerality and sassparilla. Finish is long and remains focused. Glad I have more. 93 pts

2004 Dutch Henry Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Northfork Reserve Chafen Vineyards Hillside Estate (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Dark and ominous in its thickness. Nose of pure black cherry cola. Palate shows a very restrained (at first) black/red fruit profile with some hints of cardamom and nutmeg. Black cherry, creme de cassis, black plum and black berries are in control with a tiny hint of strawberry--a very interesting combo. As this sits it starts be become fragrant and elegant with a wonderful light to mid-weight mouth-feel, almost belying its color. Some violets, cedar and framboise was showing through with some nice dimension and structure; this drank like a wine well above its station tonight; refined, poised, elegant, precise and focused. Long finish made this a winner. Gotta keep an eye out for more. 92pts

2004 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium (USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville)

This wine is so in its groove, we need anoth....well you know. Dark and precise Cabernet with black cassis, blackberry and black plums. Hints of creme de cassis, mocha, cardamom and lead pencil run within this ones skin. Pretty and focused. Perfect balance, this middle weight wine shows its breed well in its conveyor-like delivery system and pure joy. I brought this to Berserkerfest NYC and it was the first empty on the table. Enough said. :) 94 pts

2006 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (USA, California, Napa Valley)

89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. This is large boned and full throttle. Black cherry nose. Intense and pure this has some way to go yet. Black cherries, black cassis and raspberries rule the moment on this. Some dries black fruits in the background, this has nice balance. A bit of Asian spice and cardamom. Long finish keep the fruits fresh and focused. This was the perfect selection for grilled filet mignon on the deck during the balmy 65 degree NYC weekend we so enjoyed after Thanksgiving. A very admirable Napa Cabernet. 91pts

2000 Switchback Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family Vineyard (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Sweet and slightly over-extracted. Black candied nose with hints of cola, framboise and blackberry jam, but the sweetness controls this ride. Balance is decent and this is fully resolved. A slight hint of 'fabricated wine', this was somewhat sweet creamy textured and pleasing in remembrance of say a good Shiraz. One hour in the decanter seemed to help a bit as this fleshed itself out. This has some redeeming qualities, but even at $40 I feel I have over-paid 87pts

2001 Mitolo Shiraz G.A.M. (Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale)

Color intense burnt umber. Edges show a small amount of age. Nose of stewed black-cherry, Kirsch Royal and espresso beans.Palate has some real nice black fruits highlighted by black-cherries and blackberries. Notes of creamy Kirsch, this is a very pure and focused expression of a ten year old Shiraz. It sometimes borders jammy. Tannins big boned and acidity is flirty, this is quite interesting tonight. Medium to heavy mouth feel with tons of things 'going on'; some minerality, some worn leather and some sweetness. finish is admirable for an Aussie. You will never mistake this for anything else. 89pts

2001 Grace Family Cabernet Sauvignon Blank Vineyard (USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford)

Dark as night with some lighter reddish edges. Nose of pure eucalyptus and black currant and black raspberries. Palate was intense black fruits wrapped within a perfectly matured profile. Great balance with fully resolved tannins. Some cardamom, some cedar box, some espresso and some exotic spices with a very 'Martha's Vineyard' quality on this, one I did not expect: pure eucalyptus. This had a character all it's own today, very unique and distinctive, this is interesting, thought provoking and rambunctious all at the same time. Finish went long, wine got lots of discussion. Loved it. 93pts

1997 Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain (USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain)

Black. Real black. Nose of dried reddish-black fruits. Palate has the drying quality with some black cherries, pomegranate and red raspberries. It's an interesting wine that initially shows some promise, but falls short. It shows some purity and balance is very decent. Tannins are fully resolved. There's notes of worn leather, cedar and cola. Hints of graphite and menthol. Finish is admirable. The distraction is solely the mouth pucker.
PS- Time treated this one nicely. 3 hours open and it rounded out and plumped up a bit losing most of the dryness. Its actually quite nice now. 90pts

2009 Congruence Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Tasted at the release party on 11/19/2011.
Double decanted 3-4 hours in advance.
I must say I have always been a fan of Steve's wines since inception and this one does not disappoint. Its super fragrant with a heady dose of Petite Verdot coming through nicely. (Amazing how only 5% can do that). This is the most structured and backward of the three vintages. Black fruits of black cherry, small dense blackberries and cassis with an interesting brambly quality. Long and focused with a complicated array of tannins. Be kind and give this a year at least. It will pay dividends. 92pts

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