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Search Flickinger Wine Inventory
Inventory updated: Fri, Jan 30, 2026 04:02 PM cst
Your search criteria:
Regions: USA Red
Vintages: Between 2013 and 2013
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | USA Red |
| Abreu |
2013 |
Las Posadas Howell Mtn. Proprietary Blend  |
$450 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 98 (12/2016): The 2013 Las Posadas is superb. Graphite, smoke, lavender, exotic spices and inky crème de cassis fruit power a deeply expressive Howell Mountain wine. Beautifully structured and towering on the palate, the 2013 is showing beautifully today. This is a striking Howell Mountain wine. It is also the most giving and expressive of the Abreu 2013s today, which is surprising given its Howell Mountain origins. This is a superb wine. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2013 |
Las Posadas Howell Mtn. Proprietary Blend Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$395 |
1 |
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| |
| VM 98 (12/2016): The 2013 Las Posadas is superb. Graphite, smoke, lavender, exotic spices and inky crème de cassis fruit power a deeply expressive Howell Mountain wine. Beautifully structured and towering on the palate, the 2013 is showing beautifully today. This is a striking Howell Mountain wine. It is also the most giving and expressive of the Abreu 2013s today, which is surprising given its Howell Mountain origins. This is a superb wine. Antonio Galloni. |
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2013 |
Las Posadas Howell Mtn. Proprietary Blend Bin-Soiled Label |
$450 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 98 (12/2016): The 2013 Las Posadas is superb. Graphite, smoke, lavender, exotic spices and inky crème de cassis fruit power a deeply expressive Howell Mountain wine. Beautifully structured and towering on the palate, the 2013 is showing beautifully today. This is a striking Howell Mountain wine. It is also the most giving and expressive of the Abreu 2013s today, which is surprising given its Howell Mountain origins. This is a superb wine. Antonio Galloni. |
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2013 |
Thorevilos Proprietary Blend Bin-Soiled Label |
$739 |
1 |
|
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VM 100 (5/2024): The 2013 Thorevilos is a wild, exotic wine. Blueberry jam, crème de cassis, lavender, pencil shavings, cloves, licorice and dark chocolate all run through this potent, deep red. Young and vibrant, as all the 2013s are here, the Thorevilos possesses tremendous energy from start to finish. A whole range of savory and floral notes linger on the huge, tannic finish. This is sculpted and delicious, but it still needs time. Antonio Galloni.
WA 100 (10/2016): Probably one of my favorite vineyards in all of Napa Valley, even though it is not entitled to any particular AVA designation, is the steep hillside vineyard behind the luxury resort of Meadowood in St. Helena called Thorevilos. It is co-owned by David Abreu and Ric Forman. I have now tasted 16 vintages of this wine, and six and possibly seven (the 2015) have merited perfect scores, which is just mind-boggling even to someone who has been doing this for 38+ years. This wine contains a considerable quantity of Cabernet Franc (probably 30% or more, although Abreu and Grimes are never specific) and there may even be a small percentage of Petit Verdot included in the blend. This is always the most floral of the Abreu wines, but it also has what the French call je ne sais quoi, a quality that is hard to pin down. The 2013 defines what Thorevilos is all about, with copious quantities of blueberries, black raspberries, truffles, violets, crushed rock, forest floor notes and oodles of glycerin in its full-bodied, incredibly pure and amazing texture and length. It is a spectacular wine, with the cascade of fruit hiding what must be some considerable tannic clout. It’s not showing through just yet, but I suspect it will come as the wine closes down in bottle once it gets into a cold cellar. This is simply other-worldly and a tribute to all things Napa, California, and in a way, America. Drink it over the next 50+ years. |
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|
2013 |
Thorevilos Proprietary Blend Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$739 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (5/2024): The 2013 Thorevilos is a wild, exotic wine. Blueberry jam, crème de cassis, lavender, pencil shavings, cloves, licorice and dark chocolate all run through this potent, deep red. Young and vibrant, as all the 2013s are here, the Thorevilos possesses tremendous energy from start to finish. A whole range of savory and floral notes linger on the huge, tannic finish. This is sculpted and delicious, but it still needs time. Antonio Galloni.
WA 100 (10/2016): Probably one of my favorite vineyards in all of Napa Valley, even though it is not entitled to any particular AVA designation, is the steep hillside vineyard behind the luxury resort of Meadowood in St. Helena called Thorevilos. It is co-owned by David Abreu and Ric Forman. I have now tasted 16 vintages of this wine, and six and possibly seven (the 2015) have merited perfect scores, which is just mind-boggling even to someone who has been doing this for 38+ years. This wine contains a considerable quantity of Cabernet Franc (probably 30% or more, although Abreu and Grimes are never specific) and there may even be a small percentage of Petit Verdot included in the blend. This is always the most floral of the Abreu wines, but it also has what the French call je ne sais quoi, a quality that is hard to pin down. The 2013 defines what Thorevilos is all about, with copious quantities of blueberries, black raspberries, truffles, violets, crushed rock, forest floor notes and oodles of glycerin in its full-bodied, incredibly pure and amazing texture and length. It is a spectacular wine, with the cascade of fruit hiding what must be some considerable tannic clout. It’s not showing through just yet, but I suspect it will come as the wine closes down in bottle once it gets into a cold cellar. This is simply other-worldly and a tribute to all things Napa, California, and in a way, America. Drink it over the next 50+ years. |
|
| Anakota |
2013 |
Helena Dakota Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$125 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 98 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota (445 cases) is absolutely magnificent. Opaque black/purple in color, it comes across like a Château Montrose from a great vintage – a very earthy St.-Estèphe-inspired wine with the essence of loamy soil and crushed rocks interwoven with blackberry and cassis fruit. Some oak makes an appearance, but it is pushed to the background by the extravagance and enormous body and extract of this wine of phenomenal intensity. This is a classic Pierre Seillan style of wine meant for 25-40 years of cellaring.
VM 90 (2/2016): Anakota's 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota is plush, round and sensual, with plenty of mocha, chocolate, blackberry and crème de cassis. This clay-rich terroir produces rich, sumptuous wines that emphasize depth and mid-palate intensity. Because of that, this is a fairly approachable 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon although it will also develop nicely with time in bottle. Smoke, game, licorice, plum and earthy notes wrap around the dense finish. (Drink between 2017-2028). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards |
2013 |
Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
4 |
|
| |
VM 94 (12/2016): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve is intense, deceptively medium in body and brooding in style. Lavender, sage, menthol, spice and crème de cassis infuse this striking, delineated Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2013 could use another few years in barrel, but it is quite impressive, even at this early stage. This is a great showing from the 2013.
JS 92 (12/2016): Lots of dried-fruit character here that verges on raisins. Chocolate and walnuts, too. Full body, velvety and chewy tannins and a savory finish. Shows tension for such a ripe wine. Needs two or three years to soften. |
|
| Arcudi |
2013 |
Black Sears Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$149 |
1 |
|
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JD 95 (12/2017): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Black Sears Vineyard, from a site on Howell Mountain aged 20 months in 50% new French oak, is a brilliant example of this terroir, as well as the vintage. A full-bodied, ripe, powerful wine, with awesome notes of smoked meats, currants, licorice, and graphite, it has lots of tannins, a layered mid-palate, and beautiful balance. Winemaker Tony Arcudi commented that if you couldn’t make a good wine in 2013 you should find something else to do. He’s certainly made a sensational wine. These 100% Cabernet Sauvignon cuvees are made by Tony Arcudi, who was formerly in the Navy before working for Michel Chapoutier in the Rhône and later for Heidi Barrett in Napa. Tony launched his own brand in 2012 and is also the consulting winemaker at Kapcsandy. His Cabernets are gorgeous. (Drink between 2018-2043).
WA 95 (12/2016): Coming from the famed Black Sears Vineyard, better known for its black bear as well as old vine Zinfandel, this is an interesting Cabernet Sauvignon from Tony Arcudi, who worked for Michel Chapoutier and Heidi Barrett before starting his own brand. His 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Black Sears Vineyard spent 18 months in 50% new French oak. It is a gorgeous, flowery wine with loads of graphite, mulberry and blackberry followed by some spicy oak, a deep, rich, full-bodied mouthfeel, some supple tannins and a heady, lush finish. Drink it over the next 15 or so years.
VM 94 (12/2016): Arcudi's 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Black Sears Vineyard has really come along nicely. Over the last few years the wine has acquired greater finesse and silkiness while retaining all of the signatures that make this well-known Howell Mountain site so unique. It will be a few years before the aromatics are fully expressive. Today, what comes through is the pure primary intensity of the fruit as expressed in this historic vintage. With time in the glass, attractive scents of rose petal, lavender, sage and menthol gradually make an appearance. (Drink between 2018-2028). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Arietta |
2013 |
H Block Hudson Vyd. Proprietary Blend |
$129 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (5/2024): The 2013 H Block Hudson Vineyards has arrived at a plateau of maturity. Worn-in leather, tobacco, spice, dried herbs and mocha are all nicely delineated. Readers who own the 2013 should be thinking about drinking it, as it certainly is not going to get better from this point. Antonio Galloni. |
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2013 |
H Block Hudson Vyd. Proprietary Blend |
$169 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (5/2024): The 2013 H Block Hudson Vineyards has arrived at a plateau of maturity. Worn-in leather, tobacco, spice, dried herbs and mocha are all nicely delineated. Readers who own the 2013 should be thinking about drinking it, as it certainly is not going to get better from this point. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2013 |
H Block Hudson Vyd. Proprietary Blend |
$99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (5/2024): The 2013 H Block Hudson Vineyards has arrived at a plateau of maturity. Worn-in leather, tobacco, spice, dried herbs and mocha are all nicely delineated. Readers who own the 2013 should be thinking about drinking it, as it certainly is not going to get better from this point. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Arkenstone |
2013 |
Obsidian Proprietary Blend |
$175 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 98+ (12/2015): The 2013 Obsidian (625 cases) is a similar but slightly different blend than its predecessor (72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot, and the rest small portions of Malbec and Merlot). It has an opaque purple color and a stunning nose of acacia flowers, blackberries, licorice, forest floor, mocha/chocolate, and gobs of cassis fruit. Great intensity, a full-bodied, multi-layered mouthfeel, stunning purity, and a length of 45+ seconds make for an exquisite, full-throttle, yet beautifully intense Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that should dink well for 20-30 years. |
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| Arnot-Roberts |
2013 |
Clajeux Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
1 |
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2013 |
Fellom Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
2 |
|
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2013 |
Montecillo Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$105 |
3 |
|
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| Beau Vigne |
2013 |
Amendment XXI Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
2 |
|
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2013 |
Cult Cabernet Sauvignon |
$125 |
2 |
|
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| WA 96 (12/2015): Similarly styled is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Cult, which is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. The biggest cuvee of any of these wines (630 cases), the color is blackish/purple as a moonless night. It offers fabulous fruit and incredible density and richness, with lots of camphor, blackberry and cassis fruit, hints of espresso bean and chocolate as well as some background oak. This is a big, full-throttle, savory style of wine that should age effortlessly for 20-25+ years. |
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2013 |
Juliet Cabernet Sauvignon |
$85 |
2 |
|
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| WA 96 (12/2015): A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Juliet has a similar style but seems even more opaque purple, with loads of blueberry and blackberry fruit, some white flowers, licorice, baking spices and a touch of asphalt. It has a long, full-bodied, massively rich mouthfeel and finish, without any heaviness. It’s a beauty to drink over the next quarter century as well. |
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2013 |
Old Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
2 |
|
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2013 |
Romeo Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
2 |
|
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| WA 95 (12/2015): The opaque purple 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Romeo (97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot) displays notes of coffee beans and blackberries as well as some toast and charcoal embers. It is ripe and full-bodied, with a layered mouthfeel, and stunning purity and richness. Drink it over the next 20-25 years. |
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| Becklyn Cellars |
2013 |
Moulds Vyd. Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$106.25 |
1 |
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2013 |
Moulds Vyd. Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$99 |
3 |
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| |
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2013 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$84.15 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 94+ (12/2015): No doubt a major sleeper of the vintage, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon has a dense, opaque ruby/purple color, beautiful crème de cassis notes, blackberry fruit in the background, judicious use of oak, a full-bodied mouthfeel with no hard edges, sweet tannin and a long, layered mouthfeel. This is a beauty to drink over the next 15-20 years. |
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2013 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$99 |
3 |
|
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| WA 94+ (12/2015): No doubt a major sleeper of the vintage, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon has a dense, opaque ruby/purple color, beautiful crème de cassis notes, blackberry fruit in the background, judicious use of oak, a full-bodied mouthfeel with no hard edges, sweet tannin and a long, layered mouthfeel. This is a beauty to drink over the next 15-20 years. |
|
| Betz Family Winery |
2013 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend |
$59 |
1 |
|
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WA 94 (6/2016): The only other 2013 reviewed on this go around (most were reviewed last year), the 2013 Clos de Betz checks in as a blend of 63% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Petit Verdot, mostly from Red Mountain and Yakima Valley, that spent 19 months in French oak. Sexy, supple, perfumed and beautifully complex, with notes of currants, dried flowers and an almost garrigue like perfume, this full-bodied beauty is already impossible to resist, yet will absolutely cruise for another 10-15 years.
VM 93 (11/2015): Bright medium ruby. Aromas and flavors of kirsch, black raspberry and molten dark chocolate. Plush, round and voluptuous without communicating any undue weight. Comes across as a bit less concentrated than the three 2013 Syrah bottlings--and lower in dry extract than the 2012 Clos de Betz--but boasts lovely energy and finesse. Best today on the subtle, rising finish. (Drink between 2017-2027). Stephen Tanzer. |
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2013 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$125 |
1 |
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WA 94 (6/2016): The only other 2013 reviewed on this go around (most were reviewed last year), the 2013 Clos de Betz checks in as a blend of 63% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Petit Verdot, mostly from Red Mountain and Yakima Valley, that spent 19 months in French oak. Sexy, supple, perfumed and beautifully complex, with notes of currants, dried flowers and an almost garrigue like perfume, this full-bodied beauty is already impossible to resist, yet will absolutely cruise for another 10-15 years.
VM 93 (11/2015): Bright medium ruby. Aromas and flavors of kirsch, black raspberry and molten dark chocolate. Plush, round and voluptuous without communicating any undue weight. Comes across as a bit less concentrated than the three 2013 Syrah bottlings--and lower in dry extract than the 2012 Clos de Betz--but boasts lovely energy and finesse. Best today on the subtle, rising finish. (Drink between 2017-2027). Stephen Tanzer. |
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2013 |
Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
2 |
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WA 94 (5/2023): Unpacking layers of complexity, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille offers a gorgeous nose filled with aromas of oak spices, dark cherry and juicy plum as it exudes power and finesse. Full-bodied, this is a delightful wine that continues to gain in complexity as it sits on the palate. Impressive, pleasurable and energetic, the wine somersaults to an elongated finish that brings me back for more. This is a stunning wine that will continue to age with grace and precision.
VM 93+ (11/2015): Dark ruby. Aromas and flavors of blackcurrant, minerals, violet and bitter chocolate. A wine of outstanding finesse, showing great cut and lift but also a wonderfully supple texture. (Bob Betz feels that the effect of the Pulsair treatment is clear in this wine's dimension and weight on the palate.) Finishes with utterly refined, nearly invisible tannins But this wine is still quite backward and will need serious cellaring to fully express itself. (Drink between 2020-2030). Stephen Tanzer. |
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2013 |
Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$135 |
1 |
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WA 94 (5/2023): Unpacking layers of complexity, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille offers a gorgeous nose filled with aromas of oak spices, dark cherry and juicy plum as it exudes power and finesse. Full-bodied, this is a delightful wine that continues to gain in complexity as it sits on the palate. Impressive, pleasurable and energetic, the wine somersaults to an elongated finish that brings me back for more. This is a stunning wine that will continue to age with grace and precision.
VM 93+ (11/2015): Dark ruby. Aromas and flavors of blackcurrant, minerals, violet and bitter chocolate. A wine of outstanding finesse, showing great cut and lift but also a wonderfully supple texture. (Bob Betz feels that the effect of the Pulsair treatment is clear in this wine's dimension and weight on the palate.) Finishes with utterly refined, nearly invisible tannins But this wine is still quite backward and will need serious cellaring to fully express itself. (Drink between 2020-2030). Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Bevan Cellars |
2013 |
Two Dog Knoll Vyd. Proprietary Blend |
$189 |
1 |
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| WA 96+ (10/2015): Another proprietary red wine, in this case a blend of 55% Petit Verdot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, is the 2013 Two Dog Knoll, which comes from the Oakville site. Normally with this much Petit Verdot, I would be worried about rustic tannins, but Bevan has handled it brilliantly. Inky bluish/purple, with notes of blueberry liqueur, brioche, acacia flowers, steak tartare as well as roasted meats and herbs, this is a wine of great intensity. Singular and distinct, it should drink well for 20-25 years as well. |
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| Blankiet |
2013 |
Prince of Hearts Proprietary Blend |
$65 |
2 |
|
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| VM 93 (10/2015): A real overachiever, the 2013 Prince of Hearts Paradise Hills Vineyard is deep and wonderfully expressive. Black cherry, plum, violets, cloves, leather and licorice meld together in a sumptuous, intense wine that overdelivers on so many levels, one of them being price. The Prince of Hearts is a model of finesse and understatement. Readers who can find it should not hesitate. There are only a handful of wines that can match Prince of Hearts for value and pure pleasure. The blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Antonio Galloni. |
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| Booker Vineyard |
2013 |
Tempranillo |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (8/2015): Competing with Epoch's top-notch Tempranillo as the best example of the variety in California, Jensen's 2013 Tempranillo is a blockbuster that's not made in every vintage. Black cherries, currants, leather, dried herbs and savory spices all emerge from this full-bodied, thick and unctuously textured beauty. It has the classic tannic grip of the variety, yet that's paired with the hallmark texture and purity of the estate. This is an awesome wine any way you look at it.
VM 92 (9/2015): Opaque ruby. The nose displays an array of dark fruit and floral scents, along with suggestions of pipe tobacco and woodsmoke. Sweet and generous in style, offering broad, edge-free flavors of blackberry and bitter cherry. Closes smooth and very long, with gentle tannins providing shape. This hefty, seamless example of Tempranillo will be delicious in its youth but also has the depth to age. (Drink between 2019-2026). Josh Raynolds. |
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2013 |
Estate Proprietary Blend |
$75 |
1 |
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| |
WA 96 (8/2015): Formerly labeled as the Alchemist, the 2013 Booker Estate is 84% Syrah, 11% Tempranillo and the rest a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Inky colored, deep, savory and spicy, with the Tempranillo front and center at the moment, it offers lots of dark fruits, truffle, dried spice and meaty aromatics, full-bodied richness and enough tannic grip to warrant another year or two in bottle.
VM 94 (9/2015): Bright purple. Deeply perfumed, complex bouquet of dried cherry, licorice, potpourri and smoky minerals, with a subtle note of raw meat. Very sweet and creamy on the palate, offering intense black and blue fruit flavors that gain depth and spiciness with air. Picks up notes of candied flowers and vanilla on the back end, finishing with superb energy, suave tannins and lingering sweetness. Josh Raynolds. |
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2013 |
Fracture 24 Syrah |
$99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (8/2016): The deep ruby/purple colored 2013 Fracture EXT (100% Syrah aged 24 months in barrel) is a heavenly beauty that marries a rare mix of incredible richness and power with a graceful, lively, weightlessness that needs to be tasted to be believed. Giving up phenomenal notes of creme de cassis, jammy blackberries, licorice, toasted spice and liquid violets, this insanely pure Syrah offers full-bodied richness, an unctuous, seamless, sexy texture, sweet tannin and a killer finish. It's the greatest Syrah I've tasted from Paso Robles, and while it's already hard to resist, it should keep easily through 2026. |
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2013 |
Fracture Syrah |
$99 |
1 |
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| |
WA 99 (8/2015): The 2013 Fracture is an utterly sensational blend of 100% Syrah, all from the estate Booker Vineyard, that exhibits off-the-chart notes of creme de cassis, crushed flowers, licorice, vanilla bean and toasted spice. Possessing perfect integration of its fruit, alcohol, tannin and acidity, it's full-bodied and incredibly seamless, with terrific concentration, a full, layered mid-palate and a blockbuster finish. Paso Robles Syrah at its finest, this incredible wine will benefit from a year or two in the cellar, yet thrill through 2025. Hats off to Eric Jensen for this absolutely killer effort and readers who doubt the quality of wine coming from these rolling hills west of Paso Robles need to try this wine.
WS 94 (12/2015): (WS #68 wine of 2015) Bold and downright flamboyant, this manages to stay balanced and focused. Floral aromas of boysenberry, raspberry and roasted coffee open to rich, complex flavors that focus on licorice, smoky pepper beef and loamy mineral. Drink now through 2026. 1,000 cases made.
VM 93 (9/2015): Brilliant purple. Sexy, focused mineral- and smoke-accented dark fruit liqueur and potpourri scents are complemented by suggestions of anise and cola. Sweet, seamless and spicy on the palate, with intense boysenberry and cherry-cola flavors becoming livelier with aeration. Really stains the palate and finishes sappy and very long, with smooth tannins. Josh Raynolds. |
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2013 |
Fulldraw Proprietary Blend |
$69 |
1 |
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| |
| WA 93-95 (8/2014): A new cuvee, the 2013 Fulldraw is a GSM blend of 48% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 17% Mourvedre. While it’s from young vines, you wouldn’t know it by tasting it, and it has a serious, mineral-laced profile to go with full-bodied, richness, incredible purity and lots of finely polished tannin. It should easily be an Outstanding wine and thrill for 5-8 years. |
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2013 |
My Favorite Neighbor Proprietary Blend |
$169 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 99 (8/2015): A candidate for the wine of the vintage, the inky colored 2013 My Favorite Neighbor Proprietary Blend is a heavenly blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Petit Verdot and 29% Syrah that spent 18 months in French oak. Thrillingly pure, layered, unctuous and massively concentrated, it exhibits classic notes of blueberries, violets, black raspberries, spice and graphite. These give way to a full-bodied, seamless and layered 2013 that has building tannin, incredible purity of fruit and a blockbuster finish. Give it a year or two and enjoy bottles through 2025. |
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2013 |
Oublie 24 Proprietary Blend |
$99 |
1 |
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| |
| WA 94 (8/2016): Checking in as a blend of 46% Grenache, 34% Mourvèdre and 20% Counoise that spent 24 months in barrel, the 2013 Oublie 24 offers an open, sexy style in its mulled red fruits, dried flowers, spice and dried soil aromas and flavors. Sporting a semi translucent ruby color, this full-bodied beauty has no hard edges, a beautiful core of sweet fruit, and an endearing hard to resist personality that will drink well for 5-7 years. |
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2013 |
Oublie Proprietary Blend |
$74 |
1 |
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| |
WA 94 (8/2015): The ruby/semi-opaque colored 2013 Oublie is a sensational blend of 46% Grenache, 34% Mourvedre and 20% Counoise that offers a seamless, layered and complex array of blueberry, black raspberry, dried flowers, vanilla bean and spice on the nose. Pure silk on the palate, with full-bodied richness and no hard edges, this impeccably balanced red has a full, layered mid-palate, sweet tannin and a terrific finish. One of those wines where the bottle's empty before you know it, drink this beauty over the coming 5-8 years.
VM 92 (9/2015): Opaque ruby. Highly perfumed red and dark berry scents, along with a smoky mineral quality and a hint of lavender. Spicy black raspberry and cherry-cola flavors become fleshier with air, picking up an exotic touch of floral pastille. Maintains good focus and energy through a long, gently tannic finish, with the floral note echoing. Josh Raynolds. |
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2013 |
Ripper Grenache |
$85 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 95-98 (8/2014): There should be 466 cases of the 2013 The Ripper to go around. Made from 100% Grenache and aged in neutral oak, it offers off-the-hook aromas and flavors (kirsch, violets and dusty minerality), full-bodied richness and building tannin. It’s has both a decadent and yet elegant style, and should benefit from short-term cellaring once released. |
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2013 |
Vertigo 24 Proprietary Blend |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 93-96 (8/2015): The extended barrel-aged release of the Vertigo cuvee, the 2013 GSM Vertigo EXT was still in barrel at the time of this tasting. Similar in style, with full-bodied depth and richness, it has more toasted bread, meaty, bloody notes and spice as well as a sexy, voluptuous and seamless style on the palate. I actually prefer the earlier bottling release at present, but this is still and knockout wine. |
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2013 |
Vertigo Proprietary Blend |
$65 |
1 |
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| WA 94-96 (8/2014): The 2013 Vertigo (45% Syrah, 29% Mourvedre and 26% Grenache) has an almost Cornas-like purple fruit, liquid violets and caramelized meat profile that gives way to a layered, seamless and vibrant wine that has excellent concentration and a big finish. Despite being a big, rich wine, it has a pretty, elegant style that should allow it to shine on release. |
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| Caldwell |
2013 |
Carmenere |
$75 |
1 |
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| Cayuse |
2013 |
Camaspelo Proprietary Blend Slightly Raised Cork |
$87.20 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 94 (6/2016): Leading off the 2013s, the 332-case 2013 Camaspelo is made from 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot that was aged all in puncheons. Notes of iron, red and black currants, licorice and lead pencil characteristics emerge from this medium to full-bodied, elegant, complex Bordeaux blend that would pass undetected in a lineup of Pauillacs. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and drink through 2033.
VM 93+ (11/2016): Healthy dark red. Very black aromas of cassis, blackberry, black olive, spices and mint. Densely packed and very sweet, boasting a terrific combination of urgent crushed cassis and black cherry fruit and savory complexity. Not yet hugely complex or particularly floral, but this very intense wine is still a baby. Finishes very long and savory, with youthfully edgy tannins and excellent energy and lift. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 93 (8/2016): Broad and expressive, layered with cherry, blackberry, cocoa and floral flavors playing against refined tannins that carry the long finish. Has terrific presence and harmony. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2018 through 2023. 332 cases made. |
|
| Colgin |
2013 |
Cariad Proprietary Blend |
$395 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 98 (10/2015): The 2013 Cariad is fabulous. Pliant, expressive and nuanced in the glass. Here, the tannins are suave and supple, which makes the wine unusually accessible today. There is plenty of delineation in the dark, mineral-laced flavors, but the 2013 impresses for most of its superb textural depth. Cariad is made mostly from fruit sourced from David Abreu's Madrona Ranch vineyard in St. Helena. ANtonio Galloni.
WA 98 (10/2015): The 2013 Cariad Proprietary Red Wine, a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot, shows great intensity, with a slightly more burning ember and scorched earthiness to it, giving it a more Graves-like character compared to the purity of the Tychson Hill. The wine is full-bodied, rich, layered and possibly slightly more tannic and backward than the Tychson Hill, but that could be because it had recently been bottled. It should evolve over the course of 30+ years.
JS 97 (1/2016): Superb aromas of black fruits, black truffle and leather. Black olives. Full body, fabulous soft and velvety tannins, and superb length. The texture to this is so luxurious and sexy. Cardamom, game, earth and intense fruit. Yet poised. A blend as always of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, and petit verdot. Hard not to drink now.
WS 93 (10/2016): Exhibits a tight bundle of rich, extracted dark berry, mocha, licorice, savory herb and underbrush flavors, with accents of smoky oak. A tour de force that is best served after a long decant or some cellar time. The finish is deep and extracted. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2020 through 2032. 900 cases made. |
|
| Constant |
2013 |
Diamond Mountain Vyd. Syrah |
$60 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Corliss |
2013 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon |
$85 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (1/2024): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is moody in the glass, slowly evolving with nuances of blackberry, mocha, sage and mint. This is cool-toned and sleek, with silky textures and medium-bodied weight, taking on a cocoa bitterness toward the close—like biting into an extra-dark chocolate bar. The 2013 finishes with a mentholated freshness and gritty tannins, coming across as both structured and remarkably fresh for a warm-vintage wine. (Drink between 2024-2032). Eric Guido. |
|
| Cresta Velia |
2013 |
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon |
$85 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| The Debate |
2013 |
Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$175 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (10/2015): The ever-humorous and clever Jean Hoefliger says about the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon, “It has the complexity and depth of Sigmund Freud and the integrity of Abraham Lincoln.” Perhaps my tasting notes can’t say it much better than that. It’s a prodigious Cabernet Sauvignon with notes of charcoal embers integrated with blueberry, blackberry and cassis, some lead pencil shavings, unsmoked cigar tobacco, and a massive, full-bodied mouthfeel with incredible purity, structure and intensity. Forget it for 4-5 years and drink it over the following 30+. |
|
| DeSante |
2013 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Donelan |
2013 |
Cuvee Moriah Proprietary Blend |
$50 |
12 |
|
| |
| JD 93 (7/2017): The 2013 Cuvee Moriah is 87% Grenache and 13% Syrah that’s all from the Dry Stack Vineyard in the Bennett Valley. It has a gorgeous (as well as complex) bouquet of ripe cherries, cranberry, dried flowers and incense. This carries to an ethereally textured, elegant Grenache that that has sweet fruit, medium-bodied richness and a great finish. It’s not going to make old bones, but it’s going to be impossible to resist over the coming 4-5 years. This may be my favorite vintage of this cuvee to date. |
|
|
2013 |
Kobler Family Vyd. Syrah |
$60 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (7/2017): Coming from the Green Valley region of the Russian River Valley (this is a cooler terroir), the 2013 Syrah Kobler Family Vineyard is always cofermented with a big chunk of Viognier (10% in 2013) and is aged mostly in neutral oak. It offers an ethereal, elegant and seamless style as well as classic notes of black raspberries, white pepper, rose petals and white cherries (no doubt from the Viognier). Nuanced and deep, with a great finish, it’s never the largest scaled wine in the lineup, but it shines for it complexity and incredible elegance. Drink it anytime over the coming decade. |
|
|
2013 |
Two Brothers Pinot Noir |
$49 |
4 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (2/2016): The 2013 Pinot Noir Two Brothers is pretty, floral and lifted, all qualities that make it quite appealing for near and medium-term drinking. Crushed flowers, sweet red berries and cinnamon are all given an extra kick of savory lift from the 30% whole clusters. The Two Brothers is now a Sonoma County wine. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2013 |
Walker Vine Hill Syrah |
$59 |
2 |
|
| |
| JD 97+ (7/2017): One of the larger scaled examples of this cuvee I’ve tried, the 2013 Syrah Walker Vine Hill saw only partial destemming and 20 months in 25% new French oak. Reminding me a great vintage of Hermitage Les Bessards from Delas, it boasts phenomenal notes of crème de cassis, graphite, roasted herbs, melted licorice and burning embers. Rich, voluptuous, seriously ripe and decadent, yet with density, tannin and structure, it needs 3-4 years of cellaring (it needs an hour decant or more if drinking today) and will have two decades of overall longevity. This is what great California Syrah tastes like! |
|
| Ehlers Estate |
2013 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$40 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
1886 Cabernet Sauvignon |
$125 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (12/2015): An expensive and impressive bottle is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon 1886. This is a brilliant example of Cabernet Sauvignon showing deep ruby/purple, loads of crème de cassis, spice box and beautiful purity, the wine is full-bodied, opulent and multi-dimensional. This is a superb 2013 and the packaging is pretty amazing. Drink it over the next decade.
VM 89 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon 1886 is ripe, fleshy and voluptuous, with good-up front intensity and fine overall balance. The style is racy, ripe and intense to the core. Succulent red cherry, raspberry, spice and mint give the 2013 much of its soft, open-knit finish. Drink this soft, forward Cabernet over the next handful of years. (Drink between 2016-2023). Antonio Gallloni. |
|
| Fairchild Estate |
2013 |
G III Cabernet Sauvignon |
$225 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (10/2015): Like the Sigaro, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Georges III has really come together over the last year. An attractive mélange of minerals, iron, smoke and rose petal adds nuance to the jammy, red-tone fruit. Veins of classic George III tannin give the wine much of its shape, energy and inner tension. This powerful, structured Cabernet needs a few years to come together, but it is firing on all cylinders today. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Far Niente |
2013 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon |
$139 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (10/2015): A dark, explosive wine, the 2013 hits the palate with masses of dark, super-concentrated fruit. Spice, new leather, menthol and tobacco appear with air to round things out. The 2013 is not especially subtle, but it is racy, opulent and voluptuous, all qualities that will hold considerable appeal to readers looking for immediacy and near-term pleasure, all of which the 2013 has in abundance. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Figgins Estate |
2013 |
Proprietary Blend |
$60 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 94 (6/2016): The flagship is the 2013 Estate Red Wine, which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot that spent 20 months in 62% new French oak, with the balance in second fill barrels. Coming from a cooler, higher elevation site on the eastern edge of Walla Walla, this beauty possesses fabulous purity in its cassis and black raspberry fruit, violets, graphite and spring flower-like aromas and flavors. These give way to a full-bodied impeccably balanced 2013 that has fine tannin, nicely integrated acidity and a great finish. I don’t think it has the density of the 2012, but it shines for its overall harmony and purity. This beauty is enjoyable now, but should be at its best from 2020-2033.
VM 93+ (11/2016): Very bright ruby-red. Cassis, licorice and stony minerality on the nose, plus a strong minty quality that's probably from the Petit Verdot component. Superconcentrated black fruits hint at creamy depth but are still very tightly wound and in need of patience. The wine's sweetness is nicely countered by an impression of high-altitude acidity. This extract-rich, extremely primary wine offers outstanding promise. The Mill Creek Upland vineyard can be dry-farmed in most years, according to Chris Figgins, as it receives about 22 inches of rain (high for Walla Walla Valley), vs. just 12 at Seven Hills, just 16 miles to the southwest as the vulture flies. (Drink between 2021-2033). Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Gallica |
2013 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$150 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| The Grade |
2013 |
Winfield Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Gramercy Cellars |
2013 |
John Lewis Reserve Syrah |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93+ (11/2015): (made entirely with whole clusters; 13.5% alcohol): Deep red-ruby. Wild, musky aromas of dark raspberry, graphite, licorice, brown spices, dried flowers, crushed rock and peppery herbs. Wonderfully fine-grained and savory in the mouth, showing outstanding tension and peppery lift to the raspberry, black olive and mineral flavors. A very subtle, sharply delineated Syrah with a restrained sweetness and a long, slowly building finish featuring suave, palate-dusting tannins. I find this more complex and much easier to taste than the 2012 at a similar stage of its evolution. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2013 |
Lagniappe Syrah |
$59 |
4 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (6/2016): Slightly more fruit driven than the meaty, peppery John Lewis release, the 2013 Syrah Lagniappe is a drop dead gorgeous Syrah that does everything right. Its almost opaque purple color is followed by a complex, layered bouquet that includes ample black and blue fruits, ground pepper, lavender, olive and hints of bacon fat. This gives way to a medium to full-bodied, layered, silky 2013 that has a great mid-palate, juicy acidity and a great finish. I’d happily drink it today, but it should be at its best from 2018-2028. |
|
|
2013 |
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95+ (6/2016): The 243-case 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a beautiful, elegant Cabernet that incorporates 12% Merlot and comes from the Bacchus, Phinny Hill and Loess vineyards. Aged 22 months in 65% new French oak, it offers tons of toasted bread, espresso roast, lead pencil shavings and dried herbs to go with a core of black cherry and darker currant-like fruits. Medium to full-bodied, seamless, impeccably balanced, and with terrific length, it shows the more streamlined style of the vintage, yet has enough density and depth to reward short-term cellaring, and drink well for two decades or more after that. |
|
| Greer |
2013 |
Greer Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$185 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 98+ (1/2021): Purchased at the great Napa restaurant Press, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon showed brilliantly. A powerful, locked-and-loaded 2013 that’s just about as good as anything out there, it reveals a deep purple color as well as a blockbuster nose of blackcurrants, scorched earth, violets, candied flowers, and chocolate. With building minerality on the palate, full-bodied richness, a monster of a mid-palate, and a great finish, this is another insanely good 2013 that will take another 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve for 30-40 years. (Drink between 2025-2066). |
|
| Hall Winery |
2013 |
Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon |
$167 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 96 (12/2016): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall from Napa is another blockbuster, exhibiting an opaque bluish purple color, notes of charcoal, graphite, blackberry, chocolate and exotic spices, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and a long, long finish. Like most 2013s, it is just hinting at its ultimate potential, but this wine is loaded and exciting. Forget it for another 4-5 years and drink it over the following three decades.
WS 93 (11/2016): Offering aromas of opulent blackberry, plum and currant, this is floral, tightly focused and delivers ample fruit intensity and purity on the palate. Ripe, fine-grained tannins and juicy dark berry details grace the finish. Drink now through 2030. 5,844 cases made.
VM 92 (12/2016): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall is dark, powerful and juicy. Raspberry jam, mocha, new leather and dark spices, along with supple, forward fruit give the Kathryn Hall its soft, succulent personality. This is one of the more approachable, racy 2013 Cabernets readers will come across. Silky tannins add to the wine's finesse and texture. Antonio Galloni.
JS 88 (12/2016): Very ripe and raisiny with dense and rich fruit. A little hot. Dialling it back a few notches would make this Outstanding but alas, there's just too much here, and what there is overdone. |
|
| he-li-an-thus |
2013 |
Napa Valley Proprietary Blend |
$109 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Hendry |
2013 |
Block 13 Merlot |
$30 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Block 7 & 22 Zinfandel |
$35 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
HRW Pinot Noir |
$25 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Hobel Wine Works |
2013 |
Engelhard Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Horsepower Vineyards |
2013 |
The Tribe Vyd. Syrah |
$119 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (6/2015): More straight and focused than the Sur Echalas Vineyard, the 2013 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard is slightly darker in color, with lots of gunpowder, blackberry, blueberry, smoked game and beef blood aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, yet elegant and silky, with a great finish, it's a gorgeously complex, balanced and complete Syrah that has lots of Rocks character, as well as 15 years of more of longevity. I have a slight preference for the Sur Echalas Vineyard Syrah, but these share lots of similarities and are both brilliant wines. |
|
| Thomas Hsi |
2013 |
Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon |
$149 |
4 |
|
| |
| JD 96+ (1/2019): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder checks in as a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot that spent 30 months in 65% new French oak. It’s a backward, concentrated, full-bodied bruiser of a wine that has loads of blackcurrants, sagebrush, graphite, and lead pencil-like aromas and flavors. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it needs 4-5 years of cellaring and is a 30-year wine. |
|
| Hunnicutt |
2013 |
Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon |
$59 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Inglenook |
2013 |
Rubicon Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon |
$159 |
11 |
|
| |
|
| K Vintners |
2013 |
The Creator Proprietary Blend |
$55 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Kerr Cellars |
2013 |
Reserve Red Wine |
$109.65 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (8/2017): What a delight it is to taste Kerr's 2013 Reserve Red in such great shape. Dark, powerful and structured, with forbidding tannins that are going to need time to soften, the 2013 is terrific. A host of espresso, mocha, leather, licorice and cedar infuse a core of dark fruit in this imposing yet expressive red blend. All of the class of this great Napa Valley vintage comes through a highly expressive yet mid-weight wine. I suspect the bottle I tasted last fall was flawed, as this bottle is on another level entirely. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2013 |
Reserve Red Wine |
$149 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (8/2017): What a delight it is to taste Kerr's 2013 Reserve Red in such great shape. Dark, powerful and structured, with forbidding tannins that are going to need time to soften, the 2013 is terrific. A host of espresso, mocha, leather, licorice and cedar infuse a core of dark fruit in this imposing yet expressive red blend. All of the class of this great Napa Valley vintage comes through a highly expressive yet mid-weight wine. I suspect the bottle I tasted last fall was flawed, as this bottle is on another level entirely. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Kutch |
2013 |
Falstaff Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$45 |
12 |
|
| |
VM 91 (1/2015): Rose petals, mint, spices and sweet red berries are all laced together in the 2013 Pinot Noir Falstaff Vineyard. This is the most lifted and aromatic of the wines in this range. The 2013 is intensely saline, lifted and perfumed. It will appeal most to readers who enjoy aromatic, mid-weight Pinots. The 2013 is all about precision and nuance. It is also a bit light, even within the context of this style. (Drink between 2015-2025). Antonio Galloni.
BH 91 (10/2015): Notes of dried rose petal, anise, herbal tea, red currant and a hint of cinnamon introduce silky-textured medium-bodied flavors that deliver fine length on the dusty, balanced and lingering finale. This too will need a few years but less than either the Sonoma Coast or Bohan, as the overall palate impression is notably finer. Note however that the balance should allow this to age, and improve, gracefully for up to a decade. (Drink starting 2019). |
|
|
2013 |
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir |
$35 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (1/2015): Dark red cherries, plums, spices, menthol and rose petals meld together in the 2013 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast. Dark, mysterious and supple in the glass, the 2013 is super pure and pretty today. Expressive savory notes from the 100% whole clusters add lift and nuance on the finish. The 2013 is a blend of fruit from Sonoma Stage, where the terrain is rich in clay, and McDougall, which is characterized by sandier soils. This is one of the best artisan Sonoma Coast Pinots readers will find for the money. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Larkmead Vineyards |
2013 |
Dr. Olmo Cabernet Sauvignon |
$149 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (black label) is utterly magnificent. Towering and statuesque, the 2013 deftly balances ripeness, intensity and freshness, with suave tannins (for a big wine) and fabulous overall balance. A host of sweet red plum, pomegranate, spice, white pepper, crushed rocks and rose petal add the final shades of nuance. The 2013 is the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. The black label Cabernet Sauvignon emerges from parcels in the center of the estate planted on Cortina gravel. (Drink between 2023-2038). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2013 |
Firebelle Proprietary Blend |
$92 |
4 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (10/2015): The 2013 Firebelle Proprietary Red is a blend of 76% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. This wine shows loads of roasted espresso notes mixed with white chocolate, plum, black cherry and currant. The wine is ripe, opulent, full-bodied and a very sexy, lush example of 2013 to drink over the next 15 or more years. |
|
| Marciano |
2013 |
Estate Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$199 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (12/2016): A gorgeous wine, the 2013 Marciano Estate has really come together since I tasted it last year. Black cherry, mocha, espresso, dark spices and new leather flesh out in the glass. Dark, powerful and enveloping, the 2013 captures the power and intensity of this site beautifully, with soft, sensual tannins that give the wine much of its immediacy and appeal. Today, the 2013 is a knockout. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Maybach |
2013 |
Amoenus Cabernet Sauvignon |
$150 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 98+ (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Amoenus comes from a completely different terroir, a western hillside vineyard near Calistoga that averages 10-15 degrees cooler than the eastern part of the valley in what is known as the Black Mountain Gap. The wine shows incredible minerality, beautiful notes of forest floor, floral scents, blackcurrant liqueur, licorice and graphite. The wine is dense, full-bodied and seems even more backward and broodingly powerful than the Materium. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is a long-distance runner that should age beautifully for 30-40 years. Production of this is much less, usually averaging under 300 cases of wine per year. |
|
|
2013 |
Materium Cabernet Sauvignon |
$350 |
5 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (10/2015): There are roughly 600 cases of the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Materium, all of which comes from the Weitz Vineyard on the eastern Vaca Mountain hillside of Oakville at an elevation of about 1,000 feet above the Silverado Trail. This is shallow soil interspersed with loads of pebbles and stones. This wine is incredible first-growth material – a magical Cabernet Sauvignon with an opaque purple color, an extraordinary nose of blackberry and cassis, white flowers, crushed rock and minerality followed by a full-bodied majestic mouthfeel with phenomenal balance, purity and overall equilibrium. Stunningly rich and impressive, this wine will hit its peak in 8-10 years and has the potential to last 40-50 years. For those who keep track of such things, the wine was completely aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud barrels. |
|
| Meteor Vineyard |
2013 |
Estate Special Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$228.65 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Family Reserve has a dense, opaque, black/purple color, enormous extract and massive fruit, full-bodied power and stunning purity and depth. Readers are often too young to remember what some of the great classics of the late 1960s and 1970s tasted like, particularly the Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignons of 1968-1974. Well, I bought those wines, and tasting these Meteor Vineyard wines reminded me of their super-richness and almost overwhelming extract and power. This is another great achievement, but a real connoisseur's wine in that it's going to take 8-10 years to come around and last 30-40 years, if not longer.
VM 96 (8/2017): Creamy and dense, with plenty of tannic spine in support, Meteor's 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is absolutely gorgeous. Bittersweet chocolate, espresso, menthol, licorice grow as the 2013 saturates every corner of the palate. Exotic spice, flowers, wild cherry, leather and espresso infuse the unctuous, inviting finish. The 2013 Family Reserve is a big wine, but all of the elements are impeccably balanced. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Peter Michael Winery |
2013 |
Au Paradis Cabernet Sauvignon |
$225 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 98 (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis comes from one of their newer acquisitions, formerly known as the Showket Vineyard in the red soil hillsides overlooking the Oakville crossroads. This is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Cabernet Franc. Production is less than 1,530 cases. The 2013 displays loads of roasted meats, licorice, graphite, dusty, loamy soil notes, creamy blackcurrants and blackberries, stunning richness, and a Pauilllac-like first-growth cedarwood and crème de cassis notes. The Cabernet Franc from this area grows right next to the famous Maya wine of Dalle Valle. This wine spent all of its time in 100% new Daranjou cooperage, which is not even noticeable in the aromatics or flavors. This full-bodied, modern-day classic should age brilliantly for 30-35 years. |
|
| Miner |
2013 |
The Oracle Proprietary Blend |
$155 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Myriad |
2013 |
Three Twins Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$149 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard emerges from a site that winemaker Mike Smith has found in Conn Valley. The wine shows a more earthy side to his brilliant winemaking skills, showing blueberry and blackberry fruit, but there is more of an underlying minerality and loamy soil, earthiness. It is full-bodied, rich, pure, and multilayered aa well as textured. It should drink well for at least 20-25 years. |
|
| Nine Suns |
2013 |
Proprietary Blend |
$269 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96+ (3/2016): Much more tightly knit, structured, and built for the long haul is the 2013 Proprietary Red, which is a 600-case blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. The ceiling on this wine is probably higher than the 2012, but it needs another 2-4 years of bottle age. Opaque purple in color, with hints of white chocolate, black truffle, sweet crème de cassis and blackberry fruit as well as a touch of wood smoke, this wine has great richness, an extraordinary, singular personality, and a fabulous finish of close to 50+ seconds. Kudos to the Chang family and winemaker Sam Kaplan for turning out two profound wines from Pritchard Hill. Look for the 2013 to hit its prime in 5-6 years and last for three decades or more.
VM 93 (12/2016): The 2013 Proprietary Red is quite a bit more tannic and structured than the 2012 tasted alongside it, with notable depth and persistence throughout. Crème de cassis, lavender, mocha, dark spices and graphite infuse the powerful finish. Like most of these wines, the 2013 is quite concentrated, but it also appears to have the depth to stand up to the oak. Needless to say, it will be fascinating to see where the 2013 goes. Antonio Galloni.
WS 92 (4/2017): A powerful expression of rich, extracted flavors built around mocha, dark berry, graphite, cedar and crushed rock. Though big, this is also graceful and well-balanced. Most impressive on the finish, where the aftertaste lingers. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2018 through 2029. 600 cases made. |
|
| No Girls |
2013 |
Walla Walla Valley Tempranillo |
$76 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 92+ (11/2016): Bright ruby-red. Dark aromas of black raspberry, blackberry and licorice lifted by rose petal. Sweet, plush dark raspberry and black cherry fruit flavors show noteworthy energy, with the sexy rose petal quality providing a lively foil to the wine's salinity. Finishes with building, ripe tannins that should hold this wine for a decade or more. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| O'Shaughnessy |
2013 |
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon |
$109 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 95+ (10/2015): Deep, inky and powerful, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a classic wine endowed with tons of regional character and personality to burn. The inclusion of all seven Bordeaux varieties in the blend adds layers of nuance and complexity. Hints of game, smoke, licorice and dark spices add nuance to a somber, brooding Cabernet Sauvignon that is going to need at least a few years to fully open up. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95 (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is O’Shaughnessy’s largest cuvee of wine, nearly 3,300 cases from her vineyard, with a final blend that is somewhat unusual - 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Carmenère, and a rather obscure one, 3% St. Macaire. Dense purple in color, with notes of mulberry, blackberry, graphite and spring flowers, the wine has great fruit, a dense, full-bodied mouthfeel, and wonderfully sweet, well-integrated tannin. The acidity is sound, the purity impressive, and the wine long and reassuring. Drink it over the next 20+ years. |
|
| Pahlmeyer |
2013 |
Malbec |
$69 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Merlot Bin-Soiled Label |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (10/2015): The 2013 Merlot is dark, powerful and also quite tannic, all signatures of the vintage. Black cherry, mocha, graphite, plum, smoke, licorice and menthol are bold and intense in the glass, but the 2013 is only showing a hint of its potential. Far from an easygoing Merlot, Pahlmeyer's 2013 is going to need time to be fully expressive. This is a rare vintage that is 100% Merlot. Most of the fruit in the 2013 is estate grown, with a dollop of grapes (15%) from Rancho Chimiles in Coombsville. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Peacock Family |
2013 |
Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 88 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from clone 7, offers up plush, deep black and red currant fruit, some licorice, underbrush and loamy soil nuances. Medium to full-bodied, is possesses good ripeness, sweet tannin, and a nice, moderately long finish. Drink it over the next decade. |
|
|
2013 |
Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon Bin-Soiled Label |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 88 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from clone 7, offers up plush, deep black and red currant fruit, some licorice, underbrush and loamy soil nuances. Medium to full-bodied, is possesses good ripeness, sweet tannin, and a nice, moderately long finish. Drink it over the next decade. |
|
| Peay Vineyards |
2013 |
Pomarium Pinot Noir |
$55 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (2/2016): One of the real surprises in this tasting, the 2013 Pinot Noir Estate Pomarium has really blossomed over the last year. The Ama possesses quite a bit more tannin and structure than the Ama, along with a darker flavor profile that tend towards the dark red/purplish end of the spectrum. Violet, lavender, mint, cloves and crushed rocks add further shades of dimension. This is an especially vertical, structured Pinot from the Peay family. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2013 |
Savoy Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$50 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (2/2016): Peay's 2013 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard is pretty, open-knit and expressive. The bright flavors are typical of the Peay style, but there is an extra level of richness from this warm Anderson Valley site that softens the contours and gives this wine much of its near to medium-term appeal. I find the wine's exuberant, racy personality compelling. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2013 |
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir |
$30 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 89 (1/2015): Peay's 2013 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) is quite pretty and lifted, with lovely aromatic brightness. Sweet red cherry, raspberry and rose petal notes meld together in an effortless, gracious Pinot built on silkiness. This tasty Pinot is a good introduction to the Peay house style. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Pott |
2013 |
Original Gangster Grenache |
$72.25 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Pulido-Walker |
2013 |
Melanson Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$189 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 94 (10/2015): Pulido-Walker's 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard has turned out beautifully. Rich, creamy and voluptuous, the Melanson is quite forward for the year. Lavender, savory herbs, tobacco, mint and sweet floral notes are expressive throughout. This distinctive, explosive Pritchard Hill Cabernet is loaded with personality. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96 (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard definitely eclipses its older sibling. It is similarly opaque purple in color, but reveals greater fruit intensity, more massive concentration, but still keeps its delineation and vibrancy on display. Loads of blueberries, blackberries and white flowers jump from the glass of this full-bodied wine, which shares a wonderful opulence and extravagant fruit nature with the Panek, but comes across slightly more floral. This is a beauty to drink over the next 20+ years. |
|
| Purlieu |
2013 |
Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$189 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (12/2015): From the iconic site, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard was aged in 100% new French oak for 22 months prior to bottling. This is a blockbuster effort with a dense purple color, sweet toasty oak, licorice, incense and layers of concentration. It comes across as a first-growth Pauillac in need of a good 8-10 years of cellaring. Purlieu has certainly hit a home run with this effort. It tips the scales at 15.5% alcohol. Forget it for 5-8 years, and drink it over the following 25-30 years. |
|
|
2013 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$119 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 96 (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Purlieu was aged in 70% new French oak for 22 months. This just has a Napa appellation, but is very concentrated -- even profoundly so -- and I have to argue that it's even deeper, richer and potentially even finer than the Martinez Vineyard from Pritchard Hill. Very long, impressive and intense, this looks to be a great value in the scheme of Napa Cabernet pricing. It is also no shy wine at 15.5% alcohol. This is a big-time sleeper of the vintage. Drink now-2030.
VM 89 (12/2016): Napa Valley) The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is powerful, dense and explosive, with plenty of inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, menthol, bittersweet chocolate, licorice and white flower notes. Drink this concentrated, inky wine over the next handful of years. (Drink between 2017-2025). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Quilceda Creek |
2013 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$175 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 99 (6/2016): I think the wine of the vintage, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley is flat out sensational, and flirts with perfection. Its inky ruby/purple color is followed by incredible notes of cassis, black currants, smoked herbs, licorice and graphite. These give way to a full-bodied, utterly seamless Cabernet that has full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannin and a killer finish. While it possesses the elegance and purity of the vintage, it has a stacked mid-palate, and deserves 4-5 years of cellaring. It will have two decades or more of overall longevity.
WS 94 (9/2016): Broad and expressive, layering black cherry, plum, pear and black tea flavors into a beam that focuses the finish against well-managed but present tannins. Has depth, marvelous expression and length. Best from 2018 through 2025. 3,705 cases made. |
|
| Quivet Cellars |
2013 |
Kenefick Ranch Syrah |
$75 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (1/2015): Quivet's 2013 Syrah Kenefick Ranch, from a warm site in Calistoga, hits the palate with masses of intense, dark fruit. Game, smoke, tobacco, licorice and leather add complexity, but the wine remains marked by its intense heaviness and ripeness, which ultimately convey a one-dimensional view of what this vineyard has to offer. |
|
| Realm |
2013 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$575 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is another perfect wine. A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot (400 cases produced) aged in 100% new French oak, this gravelly site produced a wine with notes of wet pebbles, Haut Brion-like scorched earth and volcanic notes, some smoke, dark chocolate, forest floor, and massive amounts of blueberry and blackberry fruit. A wine of great intensity, depth and richness, if somehow Bordeaux's Haut Brion were injected with steroids, it might taste like this monumental effort from Napa. This is pure perfection and should drink well young as well as 30 years from now. Bravo!
JS 99 (1/2016): So intense and aromatic with spices, blueberries and blackberries. Incredible nose. Then turns to dried mushrooms. Full body, extremely layered and beautiful. Powerful. Turns to iodine and oyster shell. Goes on for minutes. Superb. Try this in 2020, but so irresistible already. 225 cases.
VM 96 (10/2015): One of the signature wines here, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is one of the more voluptuous, racy wines in this lineup. Deep, powerful and intense, the Dr. Crane captures the silkiness and spherical creaminess that is such a signature of this great site. Racy, voluptuous and totally seamless on the palate, the Dr. Crane captures the best of the Realm style. Raspberry jam, sweet spices, mocha and licorice add shades of nuance, but the Crane is all about texture and feel. The 2013 shuts down quickly in the glass, which is probably a good thing for the future, but something readers should keep in mind if opening the wine young, which, by the way, I do not recommend. Antonio Galloni.
WS 93 (11/2016): Delightfully rich and layered, with savory herb and underbrush aromas amid the dark, extracted berry, mocha, anise and cedary flavors. Thick and persistent on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 225 cases made. |
|
|
2013 |
Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$339 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 100 (9/2016): This is extraordinary on the nose with cold stones, minerals, wet earth and fresh spices. Full body, incredible backbone of tannins, and great length. It really lasts for minutes. When you taste it, it brings you down to the root and soul of the wine. Extraordinary. This is what To Kalon is supposed to taste like. Pure cabernet sauvignon. 450 cases.
WA 98+ (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and again aged in 100% new oak. The production is slightly higher than the Dr. Crane at 500 cases. This opaque colored wine offers up blueberry liqueur, crème de cassis, coffee bean, roasted meats, and a floral note. It is rich, powerful, dense and primordial, but wow, is it spectacular! Produced from clones 4 and 337 of Cabernet, this is another 30-year effort and a great classic.
WS 94 (11/2016): A bold, rich, layered expression of cedary oak—shaded Cabernet, with powerful loamy earth, dark berry and spice notes that are deftly balanced but a long way from full maturity. The finish opens to reveal tightfisted black and green olive flavors. Best from 2020 through 2033. 350 cases made.
VM 91 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard is an example of where ripeness and intensity are pushed too far. There is a good amount of To-Kalon character here, but the bitter tannins suggest overextraction while the alcohol is elevated. This is a rare miss from Realm. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2013 |
The Absurd Proprietary Blend |
$950 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (12/2015): Another perfect wine (but very limited in production at 200 cases) is the 2013 The Absurd, a blend of 17 components dominated by 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. Winemaker Benoit Touquette told me that this wine is produced with no rules and no restrictions, and is considered their super-blend of the best they have in any given vintage. (I guess I would look stupid if I didn't give it 100 points, given the fact that two other Realm wines already hit that maximum score.) There is something different in this wine, with an opaque purple color for sure, but then there's the cassis, the blackberries, the roasted meats, some spicy pepper, and then an extravagantly rich, cascading palate that seems to be built like a skyscraper, but without one hard edge. This is a seriously endowed, super-rich, incredibly well-balanced wine that should drink well for 25 or more years.
VM 95 (10/2015): A dark, unctuous Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2013 Absurd is a terrific example of the Realm style at its best. Surprisingly open for such a young wine, the 2013 offers gorgeous textural richness and voluptuousness. Sweet dark cherry, blackberry, mocha, spices and crushed rocks are laced into the powerful yet seamless finish. The Absurd is remarkably nuanced for a wine with this much intensity. Antonio Galloni.
WS 93 (11/2016): Smoky, toasty oak provides the framework and an alluring flavor, yet the emergence and presence of riveting blackberry, wild berry, black cherry and plum add flavor nuances, joined by dusty, cedary oak and loamy earth scents that are tightly focused. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 200 cases made. |
|
|
2013 |
The Falstaff Proprietary Blend |
$269 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Rhys |
2013 |
Alpine Hillside Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$297.50 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96+ (10/2015): Not made since 2006 and described by Kevin as the ultimate expression of the vineyard, the 2013 Pinot Noir Alpine Hillside Vineyard was a cellar selection (done blind) that ended up coming all from the same block of steep, east-facing vines. It has an almost Horseshoe like level of minerality in its gunpowder, flinty minerality, dusty soil, dried roses, and sweet red fruit aromas and flavors. Fresh, vibrant and weightless, yet with rocking depth and texture, it's a serious wine that tastes like the Alpine Vineyard Pinot Noir on steroids. It has more fruit and depth than the straight Alpine release, so its actually more enjoyable today, yet will age even better.
VM 96 (7/2015): The 2013 Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard Hillside is endowed with a real sense of vertical lift. Beams of tannin give the 2013 much of its energy and overall tension. Dark cherry, plum, smoke, graphite, mint, lavender and spices are all super-expressive, with considerable aromatic intensity added by the inclusion of 100% whole clusters. This powerful yet sleek Pinot won't be ready to drink for a number of years, but it is compelling, even today. Antonio Galloni.
BH 92 (4/2016): An overtly floral-suffused nose offers up cool and admirably pure aromas of red cherry, pomegranate and subtle spice nuances. There is fine energy and volume to the lightly mineral-laden middle weight flavors that possess both good focus and delineation, all wrapped in a dusty and ever-so-mildly austere finale. This is beautifully harmonious and understated and while there is sufficient mid-palate fat to allow it to be enjoyed young, the supporting structure is sufficiently firm to suggest that it will require at least 5 to 7 years to soften and reward at least a decade's worth. Drink 2021+. Outstanding! |
|
|
2013 |
Horseshoe Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 96 (7/2015): An absolute triumph from Rhys, the 2013 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard is all about translucence and a total sense of weightlessness. The flavors are lifted and precise throughout in an utterly captivating Pinot that captures the essence of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Hints of rose petal, dark red cherry, anise and licorice grace the haunting, exquisite finish. The Horseshoe is arguably the most refined of these 2013 Pinots from Rhys.
WA 95+ (10/2015): This steep, south facing parcel always yields a mineral-style of wine and the 2013 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard lives up to expectations. Currants, rose petals, forest floor and crushed rocks all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, sexy, yet unsurprisingly tight, structured and firm 2013. It's another 2013 that needs 2-3 years of cellaring and will have 15 years or more of overall longevity.
BH 93 (4/2016): There are extremely subtle whispers of tar, tobacco and earth lurking in the background of the very deeply pitched aromas of black currant, plum, violets and soy. Like the Horseshoe Hillside this is a robust and muscular effort that possesses seriously good mid-palate concentration as the dry extract imparts a velvety texture as well as balancing off the firm but not hard tannins that shape the chewy, intense and strikingly persistent finish. As good as this is, and it is indeed very, very good, it doesn't quite have the 'wow' factor of its counterpart. Still, this beauty is well-worth having in your cellar provided that you have the intent to cellar it for the longer-term. Drink 2023+. Outstanding! |
|
| Round Pond |
2013 |
Estate Malbec |
$35 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Estate Syrah |
$35 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Rudius |
2013 |
Kaley Elizabeth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon |
$119 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 96+ (10/2016): A killer effort from Jeff Ames is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Kaley Elizabeth. One hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon from clone 7, this is a beauty, aged in a combination of new Taransaud and Darnajou cooperage. Inky, opaque blue/purple in color with notes of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, creosote, charcoal and graphite, the wine is full-bodied, multilayered, deep, powerful, concentrated and moderately tannic. Give this wine 5-8 years of bottle age and drink over the following 35-40+ years, as it is a keeper. |
|
| Mark Ryan |
2013 |
Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon |
$51 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (6/2016): Made from 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, the 2013 Dead Horse Ciel du Cheval Vineyard comes all from Red Mountain and spent 21 months in 72% new French oak. It’s a quintessential Red Mountain Cabernet with its crème de cassis, graphite, crushed rock-like minerality and spring flower-driven profile. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless, with incredibly polished tannin, it shows the prettier side to the region, will benefit from short-term cellaring, and have two decades of overall longevity. |
|
|
2013 |
Long Haul Red Wine |
$51 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (6/2016): The Merlot dominated 2013 Long Haul Ciel du Cheval Vineyard (51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aged in 62% new French oak) is impressive in the vintage, where the heat spikes hurt the more think-skinned Merlot. Forward, charming and elegant, yet with more and more tannin coming through with time in the glass, it offers lots of incense, flowers and crème de cassis on the nose. It’s a beautiful, classy 2013 to drink over the coming 10-15 years. |
|
| Saunter Wines |
2013 |
Clone 685 Red Head Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Eagle Summit Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Sea Smoke |
2013 |
Ten Pinot Noir |
$99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WS 88 (7/2016): A delicate style delivering firm raspberry, earth, graphite and cedar notes, with trim, taut tannins. Ends with a dry, cedary aftertaste. Drink now. |
|
| Seavey |
2013 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$149 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 97 (5/2024): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Seavey Vineyard is a huge, inky wine made in a riper style. Black cherry, plum, cloves, licorice and grilled herbs saturate the palate. This deep, potent Cabernet is seriously impressive. It captures the year's intensely ripe, structured style to a T. The aromatics are beginning to open, which leads me to think the tannins will outlast the fruit. Drink this over the next decade. (Drink between 2023-2033). Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is 97.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2.5% Petit Verdot aged 20 months in new French oak and is typically young, backward and for serious connoisseurs to stow away for at least 5-8 years prior to consumption. The 2013 is typically coiled, deep purple in color, with notes of burning embers, créme de cassis, a touch of earth, spice and tobacco leaf. It is full-bodied, moderately tannic and needs to be respected in terms of it not providing a whole lot of pleasure for another 5-8 years. |
|
| Sine Qua Non |
2013 |
Male Syrah |
$279 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 98 (5/2016): The 2013 Syrah Male is an elegant, seamless Syrah that exudes class in its creme de cassis, black raspberry, smoked meats, graphite and asphalt-laced bouquet. This is a blend of 80% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah, 6% Mourvèdre, 3.5% Touriga National and 3.5% Viognier, fermented with 28% whole clusters and aged 25 months in 65% new French oak. It's full-bodied, beautifully layered, silky and seamless, with no hard edges and wonderful freshness in both the aromatics and palate. Give bottles 3-4 years and enjoy over the following 10-15. |
|
| Sojourn Cellars |
2013 |
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Torn Label |
$27.50 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 89 (12/2014): The 2013 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast exhibits a dark color along with a sweet nose of cola, raspberries and black cherries, medium body, soft tannins and a gentle, gracious follow-through on the palate. Drink it over the next 4-5 years. |
|
| Clos Solene |
2013 |
Harmonie Proprietary Blend |
$125 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 93 (8/2015): Made from 62% Grenache, 28% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre that spent 16 months in mostly neutral puncheons (roughly 15% new), the 2013 Harmonie is another full-bodied, beautifully pure and impeccably put together wine from Guillaume. Creme de cassis, licorice, mint and olive notes all emerge from the glass and it has a hedonistic, voluptuous slant that's just hard to resist. Drink it anytime over the coming 5-8 years.
VM 92 (9/2015): Opaque purple. A highly fragrant bouquet evokes red and blue fruit liqueur, potpourri and incense, with a peppery quality adding lift. Supple, expansive raspberry and cherry compote flavors put on weight with air and pick up a suave lavender pastille quality. Silky tannins build on the finish, which clings with excellent fruit-driven tenacity.
WS 88 (7/2016): Dark and brooding, with rose petal and raspberry aromas and deep flavors of smoky plum, toasty oak and pepper. Tannins frame the finish. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2022. 130 cases made. |
|
| Solomon Hills |
2013 |
Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir |
$39 |
8 |
|
| |
WA 92 (8/2016): The 2013 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills offers lovely notes of spice, autumn leaves, red currants and framboise in a medium to full-bodied, silky, polished package. Fermented with 30% whole clusters and raised 18 months in 40% new French oak, it has terrific complexity, and its tight, lively feel on the palate should allow it to age gracefully over the coming decade as well.
VM 90 (9/2016): The 2013 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills Vineyard is dark, pliant and expressive. Sweet black cherries, plum, menthol, licorice and lavender blossom in the glass. I would prefer to drink this soft, mid-weight Pinot over the next handful of years. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Sparkman Cellars |
2013 |
Wonderland Grenache |
$25 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (6/2015): A step up over the 2012, the 2013 Grenache Wonderland is outstanding, with lots of Provencal character in its savory herbs, mulled red and black fruits and dried lavender-like aromas and flavors. These give way to a ripe, sexy and hedonistically styled Grenache that stays lively and fresh on the palate, with a great finish. Incorporating 12% Syrah and seeing 30-50% whole clusters, it spent 12 months in 25% new French oak prior to bottling, it should drink nicely for another 5-6 years.
VM 89 (11/2015): Bright, moderately saturated red. Slightly diffuse nose is dominated in the early going by aromatic spices. Then surprisingly smooth and sweet on the palate, and more concentrated than its color would suggest. Raspberry fruit is complemented by hints of smoke, olive and garrigue. The tannins show a touch of dryness but avoid austerity. Finishes very good persistence. (Drink between 2015-2021). Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Spottswoode |
2013 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$229 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 98 (1/2016): Glorious blueberries, blackberries, violets and hot stones. Cloves and other spices. Even sliced mushrooms. Full body, very firm tannins and persistent and savory finish. A tight and polished young cabernet.
VM 96 (10/2015): Vivid, nuanced and explosive, the estate's 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon possesses remarkable intensity and pure power. The 2013 is one of the most precise wines I have tasted here in some time. Dark blue and black fruits, cedar, lavender and leather are all vivid and beautifully articulated throughout. The flavors build effortlessly to the huge, dramatic finish.
WA 95+ (12/2015): The flagship wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which in this vintage is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot aged 20 months in 60% new French oak. It is elegance personified. Dark blueberry and black raspberry fruit with crème de cassis, licorice and spring flowers emerge from this juicy, medium to full-bodied wine with everything in ideal balance. The acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol are subtle and disguised. This is another beauty from Spottswoode. Slightly less dramatic than the 2012, but classic, it offers 20-25 years of aging potential. |
|
| Spring Mountain Vineyard |
2013 |
Elivette Proprietary Blend |
$125 |
1 |
|
| |
| JS 96 (5/2016): A super refined and pretty young wine with mineral, fresh blackberry, blueberry and floral character. Full-bodied yet refined, very polished and subtle. Better in 2019, but wonderful. Intellectual wine. |
|
| Stone the Crows |
2013 |
Fallen Feather Cabernet Sauvignon |
$99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 94+ (12/2015): A concentrated, firmly structured, tannic wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Fallen Feather has a dense purple color, excellent, rich, pure fruit, but still tightly knit and coiled. This wine needs 3-4 years cellaring and should drink well for up to 20 or more years. (Drink between 2020-2040). |
|
| Stonestreet |
2013 |
Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$79 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Orin Swift |
2013 |
Papillon Proprietary Blend |
$69 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Ulysses |
2013 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$159 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Upchurch Vineyard |
2013 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 96 (6/2016): About as sexy as Red Mountain gets, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Upchurch Vineyard offers almost overflowing notes of creme de cassis, graphite, licorice and building minerality to go with a full-bodied hedonistic, voluptuous and luxuriously textured style on the palate. Coming from a site on the southern end of the appellation and aged in new oak (there's a splash of Merlot in here as well), this beauty has tons of sweet fruit, ripe tannin and an already approachable, hard to resist style. I'm sure there's plenty of tannin hidden in here, but they're covered by layers of fruit and certainly don't detract. This fabulous 2013 can be enjoyed today, or cellared for 10-15 years.
VM 93 (11/2016): Bright ruby-red. Brambly blackcurrant, cocoa powder and dusty oak on the nose. Wonderfully suave, fine-grained Cabernet with terrific concentration and complexity to its flavors of cassis, huckleberry, violet and licorice. This remarkably suave, broad wine shows a restrained sweetness and a very long, ripely tannic, edge-free finish that's as much about red fruits as black. If this wine doesn't have quite the complexity and grip of the 2012, it's not far off. (Drink between 2018-2028). Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2013 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$175 |
2 |
|
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WA 96 (6/2016): About as sexy as Red Mountain gets, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Upchurch Vineyard offers almost overflowing notes of creme de cassis, graphite, licorice and building minerality to go with a full-bodied hedonistic, voluptuous and luxuriously textured style on the palate. Coming from a site on the southern end of the appellation and aged in new oak (there's a splash of Merlot in here as well), this beauty has tons of sweet fruit, ripe tannin and an already approachable, hard to resist style. I'm sure there's plenty of tannin hidden in here, but they're covered by layers of fruit and certainly don't detract. This fabulous 2013 can be enjoyed today, or cellared for 10-15 years.
VM 93 (11/2016): Bright ruby-red. Brambly blackcurrant, cocoa powder and dusty oak on the nose. Wonderfully suave, fine-grained Cabernet with terrific concentration and complexity to its flavors of cassis, huckleberry, violet and licorice. This remarkably suave, broad wine shows a restrained sweetness and a very long, ripely tannic, edge-free finish that's as much about red fruits as black. If this wine doesn't have quite the complexity and grip of the 2012, it's not far off. (Drink between 2018-2028). Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Venge |
2013 |
Bone Ash Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$119 |
2 |
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| WA 96-98 (10/2014): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard should be as good as the 2012. It reveals sweet blackberry and blueberry fruit, a creamy, opulent, voluptuous texture, and incredible richness and length. It should drink well for 20-25 years. |
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| Verite |
2013 |
La Muse Proprietary Blend |
$249 |
4 |
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| WA 96 (8/2023): The 2013 La Muse is maturing gracefully and offers noticeable detail at this stage. Deep garnet in color, its dried wild black and blue berry fruit is complemented by umami-like wafts of shiitake, steak sauce and aniseed. The full-bodied palate is softening and fresh, with a generous core of juicy fruit, heightened complexity from savory notes of maturity and a singular, umami-and-berry finish. It's drinking wonderfully, although it's not quite at its peak. |
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2013 |
La Muse Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$605.15 |
1 |
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| WA 96 (8/2023): The 2013 La Muse is maturing gracefully and offers noticeable detail at this stage. Deep garnet in color, its dried wild black and blue berry fruit is complemented by umami-like wafts of shiitake, steak sauce and aniseed. The full-bodied palate is softening and fresh, with a generous core of juicy fruit, heightened complexity from savory notes of maturity and a singular, umami-and-berry finish. It's drinking wonderfully, although it's not quite at its peak. |
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2013 |
Le Desir Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$614.25 |
2 |
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| WA 99 (10/2015): The 2013 Le Desir represents 2,500 cases. This is the softest of the three wines in 2013, and this blend of 61% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec emerges with more than half of the cuvée coming from Hillsides in Alexander Valley, 37% from Chalk Hill and the rest tiny dollops from Bennett Valley and Knights Valley. Opaque purple, like its siblings, the wine is showing incredible floral, blueberry and espresso notes, exotic Asian spices, velvety texture, a supple, multilayered mouthfeel and incredible finish, with incense and licorice. This is magnificent young wine, with a good 40-50 years of upside potential. Pierre Seillan is justifiably proud of what he has achieved, and his first vintage of Vérité was only 1998, but they go from strength to strength. |
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| Vineyard 7 & 8 |
2013 |
Correlation Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
6 |
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WA 90-92 (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Correlation spent 26 months in 95% new French oak and shows a heavy dosage of vanillin and graphite. The color is a dense ruby/purple, the wine pure, ripe, medium to full-bodied, powerful and masculine. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 20-25 years.
VM 89-91 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Correlation is a big, dramatic wine. Black cherry, mocha, cloves, chocolate, licorice and new leather are all pushed forward. This is an especially succulent, unctuous wine for the vintage, but there is also quite a bit of underlying power as well. The Correlation is made from estate fruit, with the addition of fruit from a neighboring property, and also includes a bit of Merlot. (Drink between 2017-2025). Antonio Galloni. |
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| Whetstone |
2013 |
Bella Vigna Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$40 |
2 |
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2013 |
Pleasant Hill Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$25 |
4 |
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| WildAire Cellars |
2013 |
Shea Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$19 |
1 |
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| Andrew Will |
2013 |
BTG Petit Verdot & Malbec |
$25 |
6 |
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| World's End |
2013 |
Money Talks Beckstoffer Georges III Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$159 |
4 |
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