Wine & Spirits

Winemaker Notes The 2015 Aftermath Cabernet Sauvignon is dark garnet in the glass. The nose opens with complex aromatics of blackberry, coffee, cedar and cloves, with a hint of graphite and crème caramel. The palate is soft and pleasing with ripe dark berries and stone fruits. Consistent with previous vintages, the finish is very long and lingering, with flavors of plum and mocha. The wine is medium to full bodied.

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The debut of Napa native winemaker and entrepreneur Josh Phelps’ own label, this is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. It delivers tremendous value for the quality, a mix of chocolate-covered cherry, blueberry and vanilla cola wrapped in smooth, seductive layers of robust elegance. Tobacco, pencil shavings and cigar box add alluring seasoning. The debut vintage of Steady State is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc coming from vineyards in Rutherford, Oakville, Saint Helena, and Yountville.  Juicy, rich, and balanced, this wine is layered with complexity yet oh so drinkable and friendly.  Seductive aromas of toasted vanilla, forest floor, and Christmas spice are lightly laid on a palate of juicy, ripe black cherry, blackberry, and rich mocha.  The tannins are round and seamlessly integrated along with perfectly balanced fresh acidity and body.  A truly impeccable wine

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Excellent Napa representation of a Bordeaux blend. Went very well with Chipotle beef burrito. Deep ruby color throughout with long, thick legs. Nose of dark fruit, leather and toast. Opening of black fruit favoring black cherry and black plum with dried leaves, violets, licorice and granite. Medium-plus bodied and medium acidity with lovely, complex tannins that emerge slowly and fade gracefully. Peace and cheers! --Ed Lamb

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Winemaker Notes This elegant red blend is structured with length and a graceful, fine grain of tannin. Vibrant and deep reds and purples introduce Élu, with aromas of black plum and juicy blackberry. The fragrances of anise, graphite, dark cocoa, espresso and toasted barrel add extra depth and richness. Flavors of black plum and youthful blackberry are complemented with a hint of cassis, together with notes of espresso, black pepper and black licorice. Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot Critical Acclaim A very polished and integrated wine here with a coal-smoke edge to the ripe-plum and black-cherry aromas. The palate has a super plush, seamlessly polished and bright, red-plum core with a very fresh and expansive finish. A blend of 70 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 22 per cent merlot with touches of malbec, cabernet franc and petit verdot. Wine Spectator Juicy bramble and red and black currant flavors mix in this forward offering, with good fruitcake and spice notes filling in on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

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Winemaker Notes A vibrant cherry red, the Red Schooner by Caymus Voyage 8 opens with a warm, alluring nose. Aromas of ripe plums mix with the rustic scents of the high desert - scrub brush, wild sage, saddle leather, the smokiness of a campfire, and a hint of pomace. The palate is silky and smooth, with lush plums and grippy tannins that touch the side of the tongue. An earthy character of leather and cooking over an open fire carries through to the long finish, whose fruit tapers off and yields to toasted wood. Critical Acclaim Wilfred Wong of Wine.com COMMENTARY: The Red Schooner by Caymus Voyage 8 shows ripe fruit and a trace of residual sugar. TASTING NOTES: This wine is an easy-drinking wine. Its aromas and flavors show black fruit and dried leaves. Pair it with grilled, Teriyaki burgers.

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Winemaker Notes Embodying the cool-climate essence of California’s famed Sonoma Coast this wine offers lovely texture and tension and generous fruit. On the palate, alluring layers of blackberry, raspberry, and cranberry mingle with hints of forest floor and subtle toasty oak, carrying the wine to a rich and polished finish. Critical Acclaim Rose hips and red cherries abound here with a sappy edge, too. The palate has a bold, sweet-fruit core with plenty of succulent, fresh and layered tannin on offer. The plushness here is impressive, as is the direct serving of fruit flavor. Drink or hold. COMMENTARY: The 2017 Migration Pinot Noir is a substantial wine with a slightly layered palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine delivers from start to finish. Enjoy is generous aromas and flavors of dark berries and chalk with a crusted, rosemary/black pepper accented roast leg of lamb. (Tasted: November 25, 2019, San Francisco, CA)

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Flowers 2021 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir This is a full, present and black fruited style of Cali Pinot with oak, deep cherry, blackberries, sage, and warm baking spices. The palate has a presence to it with ample black fruits, some oak and a bit of nutmeg and clove. D&M Tasting Notes Red currants, earthy forest floor, bergamot and sea breeze. A balanced wine with persistent mid palate that is laced with acidity and tart cherry, finishing light and lifted with a twist of blood orange. Winery Notes

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Winemaker Notes Nicolás Catena Zapata has an intense, deep purple color with bluish-black tones. On the nose, aromas of black fruits – blackberries, black cherries, black plums – predominate with subtle notes of vanilla and dark chocolate intermingled with savory hints of green olive and a stony minerality. On the palate, the wine is tremendously complex, unfolding layer upon layer of red currant, eucalyptus, and black pepper flavors. Black cherries and blackberries give way to cassis followed by a hint of saline minerality. The wine is remarkably concentrated with a firm tannic structure providing the backbone for the lush fruit. The finish is long, a foretoken of the long aging potential of this Argentine masterpiece. Let the Nicolás Catena Zapata open in a decanter while you grill a Bone-in Ribeye Steak to perfection. Pour yourself a glass. Bliss. Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Malbec Critical Acclaim Wilfred Wong of Wine.com COMMENTARY: The 2020 Catena Zapata Nicolas is a standout wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine delivers aromas and flavors of black fruit, licorice, earth, and oak. Pair it with a grilled, well-marbled ribeye. (Tasted: March 23, 2022, San Francisco, CA) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2020 Nicolás Catena Zapata was produced with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon from Gualtallary (Adrianna vineyard, with the Cabernet Sauvignon interplanted with some Cabernet Franc) and 35% Malbec from Altamira (Nicasia vineyard). They no longer use grapes from Agrelo, and this is also a lot higher in Malbec than in other recent vintages. So, it has a very different profile, a charge that started in 2017, with more contained ripeness and more freshness, and the wine is intense, keeping some of the Cabernet character (tobacco, blackberries) and the floral notes from Malbec. It comes through as balanced and harmonious, with very fine tannins and a long finish and perfect ripeness. This aims to revive the style of Bordeaux before phylloxera, from massal selection of ungrafted vines.

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95 points James Suckling “ Aromas of mint and currants with hints of fresh herbs. Then turns to plum jam. Full body, with well-integrated tannins and pretty fruit. Long and caressing. This is really outstanding. Better in 2017. " 95 points Wine Enthusiast " Giscours shows an initial character of great style and elegance. The shining fruit and concentrated tannins follow, making it both a seductive wine and one with a long-term future. *Cellar Selection* (RV) "  94 points Wine Spectator ” Features a lightly firm, singed alder frame around a core of dark plum, cherry and cassis bush notes. Taut tar and warm paving stone notes fill in on the finish. Shows serious, well-embedded grip, and the core of fruit is spot on. This has the range, length and cut for the cellar. Best from 2014 through 2030. (JM) “

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95 points James Suckling A very pretty Cabernet with very fine tannins that are polished and fresh. Beautiful currant, chocolate and walnut character. Medium to full body and a long, caressing finish. Builds beautifully at the end. So delicious now, but will develop nicely in bottle. Real 2018 character. Top vintage.

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TASTING NOTES Rich aromas of black cherry, Mission fig and dark chocolate mingle with clove and nutmeg. The palate is filled with flavors of blackberry and boysenberry that are enveloped in silky tannins, showing complexity beyond its years. Enticing flavors of vanilla bean and hazelnut carry through a velvety richness that lingers on the finish. https://www.jordanwinery.com/product/jordan-cabernet-sauvignon-2018

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This is a Halo Effect wine with free fun juice. Blend of 78% Cab Sauv/12% Cab Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. Final wine of Daou tasting from Tuesday. Names comes from advice by the winemaker "Embody the Soul of a Lion and you'll be successfull". Beautiful deep purple in color. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, plum, black currant, black cherry, tobacco and licorice. Dry with a full body."Structured, balanced and powerful". Low acidity. Full yet well integrated tannins. Delicious & luxurious wine. See comments.  --Lori Carmone

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