Bisou St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon   Very Limited! 

This small production Cabernet is made by the talented Thomas Brown (Schrader Cellars). The `04 is a big, full-blown, and more opulent Cabernet without going over the top.  This is serious Cabernet at its best!

More info on Bisou Cabernet

Bucella Napa Valley Cabernet  ~ Reserve Room

One of Mark Herold's gems, this small production gem is dense, powerful and opulent with blackberries, currants, espresso bean and sweet tannins. Serious Cab says our Napa Girl Tanya!   

Bryant Family Napa Valley Cabernet 96 RP

Powerful, rich, and concentrated, with sweet tannin, a thick, juicy style, and excellent delineation, this large-scaled Cabernet should hit its peak in 4-5 years, and last through 2020.

Carter Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon

This is a showstopper.  Full-bodied, powerfully constructed, this mouthcoating Cabernet shows textbook Oakville-Tokalon notes of red currant, wild cherry and red plums along with lavish baking spices, vanilla, cream and toast.  This is fleshy, structured and focused, very impressive for a youthful Cabernet.   

Carter Cellars Coliseum Block Cabernet 

Serious Cabernet from Soda Canyon's Coliseum Block. Rich with expansive flavors of black raspberry, mulberry, vanilla, toffee, dense blackberry and notes of something volcanic on the finish.  Complex, dense, and layered, this is enjoyable now for its rich, juiciness but will be a stellar Cabernet in another 3-5 years or even longer given its good acidity and long, fleshy finish.  Only 266 cases produced

Continuum Proprietary Red Napa Valley    93 WS  95+RP

Full-bodied, beautifully focused, offering incredible purity of fruit and structure.  Rich, savory layers of ripe black fruit, cassis, brown spice, minerals, and wild flowers, offering nice complexity, a solid, rich midpalate, and silky fine tannins.  58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc and 19% Petit Verdot from Oakville aged in 100% new French oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered.   Limited.

95% Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap District with 5% Syrah, this beautiful cuvee offers rich, luscious layers of raspberries, dark berries, roasted coffee, vanilla & a long finish that resembles a chocolate covered cherry.  Powerful, complex.  For more information, click here

Detert Family Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

 Layered, focused core of ripe cherry-plum fruit with notes of chocolate, baking spices and minerals.  Lush yet firm, showes even better with 90 minutes in the decanter. Only 150 cases made.  Detert was named in Wine Spectator's "Napa's Impressive Newcomers -- 10 Names You Should Know and Search Out in your Quest for the Best"

A big, dense, black currant cabernet made by Lisa Drinkward of Erna Schein (formerly Behrens & Hitchcock) and Francoise Peschon, winemaker at Araujo.  Rich, intense, powerful, yet full of style.  Very limited.For more information, click here

Edge Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Luscious, full-flavored and smooth.

This boasts blackcherries, currants, chocolate and sweet spice along with good oak integration. 

A solid Napa Cabernet that does not break the bank!

Egelhoff Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Fullbodied, powerful, yet smooth as can be, this shows rich, dense flavors of blackcherry, mountainberry, roasted coffee, mocha, toast, and cinnamon spice.  This is very approachable with supple tannins and a creamy, mouthcoating texture.   One of Bob’s finest efforts under this label.

Emerson Brown Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

Full-bodied, excellent richness this offers pure notes of blackberries & cherries, mocha, and graphite with complexity, balance and sheer elegance. Emerson Brown is a small production Cabernet from two talented guys behind the high scoring wines at Vineyard 29.  Keith Emerson is the Director of Winemaking & Brian Brown is the former enologist. The vineyard is in the heart of Oakville , nestled amongst Dalla Valle and Rudd, with ideal red soils and old vines bringing a unique character to the wine.  Only 225 cases produced.

Erna Schein Spare Me Cabernet Sauvignon 

Love the name, love the juice.  Fullbodied and loaded with personality, this is packed with blueberry-blackberry fruit with baking spices, cinnamon, sage, molasses, cedar and round, supple tannins.  This Napa Valley Cabernet is blended with 12% Merlot and12% Cabernet Franc.  Only 350 cases made.

Erna Schein Jersey Boy Red

A cross-county blend of 41% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, and 6% Petite Verdot. Full-bodied, opulent yet well-balanced, this is loaded with black cherry and blackberry fruits, cocoa, and soft, supple tannins. This shows a solid, ripe core of black fruit that lasts throughout the palate and a long, focused finish. Parker calls this a "hedonistic fruit bomb" yet it remains structured and well-polished. Only 443 cases made.

Erna Schein Cabernet Sauvignon Herrick-Moulds Napa Valley  

Rich, intense and on the spicy side.  Ripe blackcherry – currant and plum fruit with more exotic notes of cardamom, roasted nuts, cigar box and pepper.  This remains fresh and well balanced with a finish that goes on and on.  95% Cabernet Sauvignon & 5% Petit Verdot.  Only 370 cases made.  92-95 Points, Robert Parker.

Erna Schein Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Cemetery

This would have been perfect for Halloween but it had not been released.  So dark and intense in color, it is almost black.  This offers a deep, savory nose and evolves on the palate with rich, concentrated black fruit, currant and sweet raspberries, with notes of espresso, cocoa, cedar, tobacco and crushed rocks.  This full-bodied Cabernet has been blended with 17% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot.  It is beautifully balanced and remains elegant from start to finish. Only 340 cases made.  93-95 Points, Robert Parker.

Erna Schein Behrens Family Reserve Napa Valley 

Rich, big textured (I am talking “chewy”) and on the opulent-side, this full-bodied Cabernet-based blend shows saturated blackberry and cassis with vanilla, fig, floral notes, loam and toast.  This is MY favorite.  I tasted this in barrel last February and then from bottle last August.   This shows incredible depth and purity while remaining balanced and full of finesse.   31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot, and 21% Petit Verdot.  Only 370 cases made.  92-94 Points, Robert Parker.  Excellent!

Etude Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley                        Tanya's A-List

Intense, opulent, full-bodied, loaded with black plum, black cherry, and currants, with notes of espresso, baking spices, cigar box, and cedar, finishing long with a hint of chocolate covered dark cherries (yum!).   Powerful structure, generous rich fruit, fine tannins. 94 Points, Robert Parker; 92 Points, Wine Spectator.

Facets of Gemstone Proprietary Red  94 RP    ~ Reserve Room

Suzie & Frank Frank are gems themselves and I love to "catch-up" with them every chance we can in Napa. Facets is a stunning, rich and well-structured Cabernet-Merlot based red. Lush, plump and rather sexy with generous blackcherry fruit, chocolate and espresso bean (Tanya)

Frank Family Cabernet Sauvingon Napa Valley 

Rich with aromas of sweet blackberry, black cherry and juicy ripe plums. Supple flavors of blackberry, currant and dusty mocha.

$44.99

Robert Foley Napa Valley Claret 94 RP                       Tanya's A-List

A remarkably rich, dense and opulent Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 10% Merlot. This shows superb concentration of ripe black cherries and blackberry, chocolate, espresso and toffee with chewy young tannins. This fullbodied wine shows gorgeous extraction, incredible balance, and a long brooding finish with a dynamic voluptuous mouthfeel. This youthful bottle has long aging potential (10-15 years)  but may be enjoyed sooner if you just can’t wait. This consistently scores between 94+ - 96 points.

Four Bears Cabernet Napa Valley 
We are always on the hunt for great values and boy did we find a good one with this Napa Cabernet.  Well-structured and full-flavored, this offers plush, ripe cassis and blackcurrant liqueur, with spice, toast, and generous wood tannins.  A great value!

Gain Bay Cabernet Sauvignon

51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Cabernet Franc and 13% Petit Verdot is an excellent "daily drinker" with character.  Fragrant red berries a hint of Cab leaf and a touch of sweet vanilla.  Medium bodied, elegant and loaded with flavorful fruit. Killer juice at a Great Price!

Garric Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley                        Tanya's A-List

Expressive floral bouquet with layers of fruit and spice.  Full-bodied & rich, with seductive, deep flavors of black currants, cassis, blackberry, mocha, coffee bean, and vanilla oak with silky, yet supple tannins and a creamy, focused finish.  One of Pam Starr's best efforts!  Linited.

Stunning, remarkably rich and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon (91%) – Petit Verdot blend (9%) from the incredible talents of Philippe Melka and the Gemstone Vineyard in Yountville where rocky slopes yield only a minuscule crop of intensely flavored small berries. Full-bodied, intense, and very sexy with generous blackcherry fruit, cassis, espresso bean, baking spices and judicious French oak.  

Ghost Block Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 

Tanya found this at Taste of Oakville and waited patiently to it to get down to SoCal!  This is a powerful, in-your-face 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from an organic vineyard in Oakville.  This full-bodied, full-throttled Cabernet is loaded with rich blackcherries and currant fruit with a firm structure and fully integrated tannins. This small production, first release wine is one of Tanya's under the radar Napa picks. Very limited. 

Honig Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 

Rich, full-flavored, good structure, classic Napa Cabernet.  This just got a well-deserved 90 points in the Wine Spectator.  Honig is still family owned and operated. 

$34.99

Hoopes Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 

100% Estate Cabernet from the southernmost part of Oakville where the soil is full of gravelly loam.  Lush dark fruit with black cherry and raspberry dominating along with notes of spice, clove and earth.  Hoopes is a labor of love; you can taste the passion and distinctive quality in this handcrafted, ageworthy Cabernet. I hate to show favorites, but seeing Spencer Hoopes was also at the top of my list at this year's Taste of Oakville (Tanya). 

Hourglass Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 375ml     Tanya's A-List

This is Jeff Smith's project with consulting winemaker, Bob Foley. is focused, intense and concentrated with a solid core of ripe currant and blackberry fruit along with notes of toffee, graphite, toast, cedar, and rich, sweet tannins. This BABY HOURGLASS is another winner! Limited. 93 RP

Hourglass Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml     Tanya's A-List

This is Jeff Smith's project with consulting winemaker, Bob Foley. is focused, intense and concentrated with a solid core of ripe currant and blackberry fruit along with notes of toffee, graphite, toast, cedar, and rich, sweet tannins. Another winner! Limited. 93 RP

Hundred Acre Kali Morgan Vineyard Cabernet                Tanya's A-List

If The Ark is gorgeous, Kayli Morgan is amazing.  Plush, well-concentrated, with loads of plush black cherry, cassis, caramel, spice box, cedar, minerals and graphite.  This is full-bodied, offers incredible purity, with polished layers and complex notes through to a long, long finish.   This has been well received with 92-94 points, Wine Spectator and a whopping 96-99 points, Robert Parker.

Hundred Acre Ark Vineyard Cabernet

This is one gorgeous Cabernet that is amazingly rich, full-bodied and opulent.  Layers of black currant, black berry, and plum with mocha, espresso, graphite and cigar spice.  This is deep, structured, and finishes long.  The Ark Vineyard is a 17 acre parcel on the property of Jayson’s home and winery on Howell Mountain where yields are tiny, about one ton of fruit per acre.  Hundred Acre is a Parker darling with 94-96 points from The Wine Advocate and a well respected 95-100 points, Wine Spectator.  James Laube said, this “has all the ingredients for greatness”.  I would agree.

Hundred Acre Kali Vineyard Cabernet   94 RP ~ Reserve Room

Off-the-chart 100% Cabernet with more forward fruit and a touch more elegance than the `03. Pure notes of cherry, cassis, chocolate and a hint of cedar, this youthful Cabernet remains seamless and detailed through to the end.  

Jarvis Estate Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet  

This is a serious Napa Cabernet from the stellar `01 vintage, this was a dynamic wine.  100% Estate Grown Cabernet was dense, well-structured, and rich with layers of black cherry, red berries, loam, tobacco, and earth.  This is ready for drinking now but will go the mile for another 10-15 years. 

John Anthony Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Lush, full and concentrated packed with ripe blackberries, red stone fruits, allspice and mocha with moderate tannins which lead to a long, complex finish.  This is wonderfully balanced and sensuous on the palate. This is from an “under the radar”, small production, young and very talented winemaker, John Anthony Truchard.

Ripe blackcurrant, black plum, vanilla, and toasty oak with multi-layered mid palate and strong finish.  85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, & 2% Petit Verdot.  One of the finest efforts from Spring Mountain.  93 RP

Kapcsandy State Lane Vineyard Red Napa Valley  95 RP

NEW 2005 Releases from Kapcsandy 

Lou Kapcsandy was a pleasure to meet at Taste Yountville First (2/07).  Rich, saturated, and impeccably balanced, this Cabernet based red was one of the best wines of the event (Tanya).  Sold out BUT GRAB THE NEW 2005 RELEASES with the BIG PRESS!

Keever Vineyards Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon 

Aromas of rich ripe black fruit, caramel, and a little baking spice jump out of the glass.  On the palate there is no surprise. This is one big Cabernet!   Blackberry, currant and plum fruit with hints of vanilla, spice, graphite, dried orange, and toffee-caramel.  Full-bodied, round on the palate, with good complexity and definition, and a finish that is long and distinguished.  This is the third release from Bill & Olga Keever’s hillside vineyard above Yountville.  This 100% estate grown Cabernet is made by the talented Celia Masyczek who consults for several ultra-premium Napa Valley labels but is now best known for her big press Scarecrow Cabernet. Only 850 cases.

Kobalt Napa Valley Cabernet 94 RP                              Tanya's A-List

Incredibly dark, almost inky iwith a wonderful nose of chocolate covered raisins -- yum!  Full-bodied, fleshy and deep, this is rich with ripe blackberry compote, cassis, espresso, vanilla, and a hint of toasted caramel. This extracted, concentrated Cabernet is everything you would expect from Mark Harold.  Incredible purity, mighty structure, generous tannins, and an enormous long finish. 

Krupp Brothers The Doctor Napa Valley

Full-flavored, black raspberries, black cherries, cassis with hints of cloves, vanilla and cedar.  Fresh & lively and smooth on the palate.  The label is great – this is the perfect holiday gift for the Doctor in your life.  49% Tempranillo, 22% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon & 8% Malbec from Krupp Estate Vineyard.  Only 495 cases made. 

Krupp Brothers Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet  92 RP

This is a serious single clone - single block Cabernet from the Krupp family’s Stagecoach Vineyard. This shows focus, definition and cellarability.  This took a while to open up yet is packed with blackcurrant, black plums, dark chocolate, ripe-chewy tannins, and extraordinary complexity. 

Lateral by Kathryn Kennedy Red Blend 

Darker and richer than the `03. Still a crowd pleasing bottle.

Lava Rocks 2005 Red Napa Valley
Plush, smooth with red currant fruit along with notes of mint, tobacco, and toast.  This is one heck of a bottle of wine for the price.

Lewis Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon  Napa Valley  

Fullbodied, deeply concentrated and intense with a rich core of black fruit, toffee, chocolate, espresso and sweet oak spice.    93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc from top hillside vineyards in Pritchard Hill, Rutherford, Calistoga, and Oak Knoll.   This offers a solid mid-palate, fine-grained tannins, and a long, focused finish.  

Martin Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

If the Estate Cab is a blockbuster, what do we call the Reserve.  The Reserve is even bigger and better than the Estate. Full-bodied, immensely structured and vastly flavored, this is dominated by brilliant red cherry-black currant fruit with toast, vanilla and a true expression of Rutherford dust.  This opens up beautifully with about 90 minutes in the glass or decanter, delivering both power and finesse.  

Merus 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon 96 RP

Full-bodied, super-rich, and powerful boasting mighty, dense flavors.  This shows sensational purity with blackberries, fully-ripened currants, espresso roast, graphite and sweet French oak.  This blockbuster delivers a big, mouthcoating texture with a finish that goes on and on and on and on.  This is a cuvee of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec, aged in 100% Taransaud French barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration.   This will benefit from 3-5 years bottle-age, and will go the mile in the cellar for two or three decades.  This is a gem that consistently receives big scores from both Wine Spectator and Robert Parker.  This already has a solid 96 points, Robert Parker.

Orin Swift Papillon Red Wine Napa Valley  

Full-flavored, rich and well-structured, this offers a nice bouquet of blue & black fruit, flowers, and spice box.  On the palate this is lush with generous blackberry-plum fruit, blueberry compote, along with notes of vanilla, roasted coffee bean, smoke and spice.  63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec, 2% Petite Verdot made by the talented Dave Phinney, known best for his Mercury Head Cabernet (sold out) and The Prisoner Zinfandel blend ($31.99; 2006 is delicious and available).

Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red 93 WS

79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec.  Full bodied, rich and on the flamboyant side, this shows a vibrant core of ripe blackberry and plum fruit with notes of espresso roast, vanilla, exotic spices and a hint of graphite.  Concentrated, lush and deep, well-structured and remains balanced from start to finish.   Excellent!

Orin Swift Papillon Red Wine Napa Valley

Full-flavored, well-structured and opens beautifully within minutes of being in the glass.  Lush with generous blackberry-plum fruit, blueberry compote, along with notes of vanilla, roasted coffee bean, smoke and spice.  63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec, 2% Petite Verdot made by the talented Dave Phinney, known best for his Mercury Head Cabernet (sold out) and The Prisoner Zinfandel blend ($31.99; 2006 is delicious and available).

Ramey Jericho Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley  95 RP

The three and a half stars in my notebook have just been trumped by a solid 95 points from Robert Parker.  Big structured Cabernet, full-bodied and fleshy, offering wonderful complexity and definition.  Sumptuous layers of ripe black currants, blackberries, and chocolate, with hints of charcoal, black loam, and baking spices. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot.

Realm The Tempest Napa Valley Red                           Tanya's A-List

Rich, opulent and mouth-coating core of pure black fruit, mocha, and cream.  Tanya was lucky to grab a little of this when she tasted it with Juan & Wendell in Napa (02/2008).  94 points, Robert Parker.

Relativity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Relativity Vineyards is a new project.  They won't divulge who their winemaker is, or where the fruit is sourced from, but it only takes a taste to see this is serious juice without the serious price.  Rich blackberry compote, black currant, cassis and a rich, plush finish.  Drinks way better than its price!

Revana Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley  93 RP

Rich and plush with generous blackberry and ripe cherry fruit, chocolate, baking spices and well-integrated French oak.  Fullbodied, well-structured, and powerful yet smooth as silk, seamless from start to a long, focused finish. Heidi Barrett did it again with this one.  Great fruit character, balance, depth and structure. 

Robert Foley Vineyards Claret 94 RP

Remarkably rich, dense and opulent Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 10% Merlot.  This shows superb concentration of ripe black cherries and blackberry, chocolate, espresso and toffee with chewy young tannins.  This fullbodied wine shows gorgeous extraction, incredible balance, and a long brooding finish.  This youthful bottle has long aging potential but may be enjoyed sooner if you just can’t wait.  Recent vintages of the Claret have consistently scored between 94+ - 96 points.

Roy Estate Napa Cabernet Sauvignon  95 RP

Intense, rich, and powerful, this youthful Cabernet expresses ripe black currant - mountain berry fruit, mocha, baking spice, with hints of loam and minerals true to Soda Canyon.  Philippe Melka does it again -- beautifully balanced with loads of structure, incredible purity and depth, and ripe, powerful tannins.   From Tanya's A-List

Salerno Reserve Cabernet

Salerno Winery is small family owned winery, one of the newest in the Ramona area. This great value wine is smooth with flavors of cherry, and blackberry, as well as elegant floral notes. 

Sausal Cabernet Alexander Valley

Old-Vine Cabernet, smooth and layered.  These grapes used to go into the Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet.

Schrader Beckstoffer ToKalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

One immensely bodied wine offering superb richness, power, texture and elegance.  Rich notes of blackberry, cassis, espresso, charcoal and toast.  This will be ready to drink in 2-3 years and will drink well for 15-20 years.  Parker gave this 91-93 points (Parker gave the `04 barrel 91-94 points and subsequently gave it 96 points); Expect to see a solid 95 points here!

Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon "CCS"

This is a dense, massive Cabernet defined by serious intensity, complexity and definition.  Abundant, lavish black fruit, voluminous and polished texture with good acidity and chewy tannins.  This can be enjoyed in the next year or two and be aged for another 15 or more years.  95 points, Robert Parker.

Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon "RBS"

100% Clone 337, this was my favorite.  Lush, intense and pure with loads of black fruit that are explosive both in the nose and on the palate. Big, muscular core, supple texture, moderate tannins and well integrated French oak.  Very limited

Schrader 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon "T6"

100% Clone 6, this was my other favorite.  Powerful, showing tremendous concentration, depth, and purity with abundant ripe Cabernet fruit, layers of flavor and a sexy mouth-coating texture.  This cabernet is on the spicy side yet the finish goes on and on and on.  93-95 points, Robert Parker. 97 Wine Spectator.  Very limited.

Schrader 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky  1.5L

Old Sparky is a blend of the best barrel lots bottled in magnum only.  This wine is all about opulence, structure, concentration and character, everything you would expect from Schrader and more (Mike Smith).  This is a Parker darling with 95 points in past vintages.  Extremely limited.

Schrader Double Diamond Amber Knolls Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Incredible single vineyard Cabernet from Red Lake County made by Schrader's talented winemaker, Thomas Brown.  This magnum is suitable for your next dinner party. ~ Reserve Room

Schrader Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5L 

From the top of Maycamas, this Cabernet is full-bodied, rich and concentrated with blackcurrant fruit, crème de cassis, coffee bean, & vanilla oak notes.  This shows an incredible long and focused finish!  Limited,  ~ Reserve Room

Serdonis Ink Grade Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon           Tanya's A-List 

This powerful yet charming Cabernet showed excellent density and richness with palate coating layers of juicy raspberry, black cherry fruit with hints of caramel, chocolate, toast and wood spice.  Decant this for more immediate gratification.  This showed more like an $80 bottle!  (Tanya)

Silver Oak Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Rich, concentrated, balanced and full of finesse.  The `03 Napa Cabernet is expressive with deep notes of blackberry-black plum fruit, dark chocolate, and baking spices with hints of pencil lead, black pepper and more. Solid core of fully ripened black fruit and ripe tannins that come together in a long finish.  78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot.   Properly cellared, this will drink well for 10-15 more years.

Tierra Roja Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 

Rich, dense, but not overly extracted, with succulent, juicy black currant - black raspberry fruit with notes of milk chocolate, a little caramel and oak spice, with sweet creamy tannins. This is plush in the mouth with a round, mouthcoating texture, excellent depth, good acidity, and a long, defined finish. I met Tor & winemaker Jeff Ames last year in Napa (2/07) and then tasted the `05s in August 2007.  Jeff is hands-on to detail, yet hands-off when it comes to too much intervention. Tor Kenwood was a long time executive at Beringer; his knowledge and experience has put him in the position to get great fruit and make superb, hand-crafted wines. 

This is a 2nd label project for Vinoce and Brian & Lori Nuss have done a great job here.  This Cabernet is blended with a bit of Merlot, and Petite Verdot that is similar to their flagship bottle but at a fraction of the price. Powerful, rich layers of cassis, blackberry fruit, licorice, mocha, lush tannins, and a finish that goes on and on.  Great bottle for $20.

Vice Versa Le Petit Vice Red

Full-bodied, rich layers of ripe black currants, red wildberries, mocha, caramel, toast and a hint of roasted meat, ash, and spice.  Winemaker, Paul Hobbs blended almost equal parts of Syrah from the Ulises Valdez Vineyard to this Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville.  This is a marvelous marriage that shows excellent density, balance, complexity and structure.  

Vice Versa Napa Valley Cabernet  ~ Reserve Room            Tanya's A-List

Full-bodied, showings spectacular richness and complexity with abundant flavors of blackberry, cassis, mocha, espresso bean and well integrated French oak.  This is beautifully balanced, well-focused with a strong long finish.  100% Cabernet from Stagecoach and Beckstoffer ToKalon Vineyard, unfined and unfiltered, made by Paul Hobbs. Only 175 cases produced.   A solid 93 points, Robert Parker.