Tag Archives: napa valley cabernet sauvignon

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2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Trefethen

Sometimes it’s the wine that makes the occasion; other times, it’s the occasion that makes the wine unforgettable. And then there are those happy moments when the whole plan comes together—like this one. 

2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Trefethen, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley, California, USA.

On this day, we decided to head over to the Angus Barn for steaks, salads, and a bit of quality time in that cozy Wild Turkey Lounge ambiance. Outside, one lucky couple was hosting wedding guests (clearly sparing no expense), and we had fun watching the attendees in their wedding finery (remember the guy in the tux, my love?). It added an unexpected bit of charm to our evening.

As hoped, Cara and I snagged two seats together at the bar and settled in. Our bartender was great and attentive, and even chuckled at the right moments when we shared the infamous story of the wine bottle our last Lounge bartender could not open—even after breaking multiple corkscrews. (And for those wondering, no, we’ve never been able to open it…)

We debated starting with something familiar—The Prisoner or perhaps an Orin Swift favorite—before ultimately choosing this 2021 Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon. Our thinking? We’d had The Prisoner before, we had Phinney wines at home, and the Trefethen would be a new wine adventure for the two of us together. And it was great! 

We split a classic wedge salad, which included the usual favorites as well as almonds that I was surprised to really enjoy. My girl did a surf and turf trio, a special offering for the Barn’s 65th anniversary, which included a bacon-wrapped filet, a skewer of North Carolina shrimp, and a tail of Maine lobster—plus a baked potato! This guy? I went with a New York strip steak (perfect temperature!) and fries, and I nearly powered my way through 16 ounces of that bad boy before surrendering down the stretch. If you know me, you’ll understand how close this came to my ideal “last meal on Earth”!  

Hale and happy, we settled up our tab and left with big smiles and the promise of an evening together, after-dinner drinks, desserts, and a flick too. A perfect date night overall and one I’ll never forget—for the steaks, the wine, and most of all, the company.

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2023 Cabernet Sauvignon (District Series #3 Napa Valley), Precision Wine Co.

This review focuses on the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, District Series #3 Napa Valley as produced by the team at Precision Wine Co. Given my love for Napa Cab, the bottle seem to call out and demand attention—which we gave it this evening.

2023 Cabernet Sauvignon (District Series #3 Napa Valley), Precision Wine Co., California, USA.

Why so interesting? Well, frequent readers of Notes know California’s first AVA is my favorite, and one I love to sample even more often than chronicled here. Wines that attempt to capture all the region’s best characteristics, such as the CA Locations Wines (most recently last weekend), are also favorites of this reviewer and this notebook. And now the Precision entry into the canon…

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (District Series #3) offers you a rewarding tasting experience. It’s more dark cherry in color, a fragrant pour that suggests dark fruit at its core. The winemaker is definitely seeking the essence of Napa Cab in this offering, which is very well-balanced and flavorful. There are hints of spice box, strawberry…but even more so the dark plum and blackberry fruits. The rich blend of all these grapes and inferences is part of what I like best in a Napa wine—and this one is pretty damn good. It’s your favorites from the region in an affordable bottle. 

What of Precision? According to the website, they’re a Napa Valley producer specializing in sourcing premium fruit from appellations that include Napa, Sonoma, Lake County, Paso Robles, and Lodi—now rebranded as Navigator Wine Collection. Details on the Precision / Navigator corporate restructuring are covered here. The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (District Series #3) was my first sampling of their collection but I’m looking forward to more of the same.

Thanks, love, for this tasting experience that’s focused on all my favorites!  

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2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 50th Anniversary, Caymus Vineyards: A Review

Hello friends it’s been far too long, and far too many bottles escaping a recap. I’m fixing that right now, courtesy of the 2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a limited-edition headliner of a wine that commemorates the Wagner family and its Napa Valley roots. 

2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 50th Anniversary, Caymus Vineyards, Fairfield, California, USA.

The 2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon pours in a distinctive, deep ruby hue. Swirling it in the glass reveals not only its vibrant crimson color but also dark berry aromas of goodness…probably black cherry or plum? Other tasters cite its “baking spices” and “enticing whiffs of cocoa, tobacco, and leather,” but I’m pleasantly covered in the berry framework of this intriguing bottle and miss a few of those nuances. That may be attributed to our consumption of this Caymus bottle in its (relative) youth rather than allowing its profile to mature over the next 5 to 10 years? Anyway, the 2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 50th Anniversary is a full-bodied wine with layers of ripe black fruit and vanilla, and I find myself doing less sipping and more swirling of the wine. Like many Wagner wines, it’s velvety on the tongue and has a fulsome mouthfeel that leads to a balanced, satisfying finish.

Fruit for the 2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 50th Anniversary was harvested from diverse terroirs, ranging from the cooler Coombsville region in the southern part of the Valley to warmer Calistoga in the north. Also in the mix are grapes from the renowned Rutherford and Oakville appellations—all blended in the production of a complex, intensely enjoyable Napa Cab that is itself a celebration.

From its deep, inky color to its rich, concentrated flavors of dark fruits and spices, the 2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 50th Anniversary truly captivates the senses. It’s a milestone for the Wagner family and a testament to their ongoing pursuit of excellence. This 2022 Caymus deserves to be savored and appreciated, both for its exceptional quality and also for the legacy it represents. I’m so pleased we have another one to hold for the future!

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2021 Calistoga Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Hillside

Next time you’re shopping for vino and find yourself lost in a sea of red and white options, here’s a recommendation: try sampling the Hillside 2021 Calistoga Reserve Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon. It’ll take you away from the masses and steal you away for a little quality time.

2021 Calistoga Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Hillside, Napa Valley, California, USA.

I know I’ve been away from Notes for awhile, but suffice it to say I’ve been well acquainted with new world reds throughout. This one, a 2021 Reserve and a limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon (100%), is grown in a “prominent” vineyard in Calistoga, Napa Valley. It reportedly grows in a special block where red volcanic soils merge with volcanic ash—my sense of terroir kicks into overdrive at such notions, and the grapes here show these characteristics in a tangible way. The 2021 Calistoga Reserve is not red and not purple in your glass but rather straddles the line between them.

The Hillside 2021 Calistoga Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is created with attention to detail, produced from grapes that were exposed to draught conditions. Winemaker Nicholas Bleecher indicates that growing pattern “resulted in a more natural load on the vines, requiring less pruning and dropping of fruit”—and also packs the grapes full of flavor.

What about a few notes, you say? The 2021 Calistoga Rserve is plums, blueberry—dark fruits for sure—and has little interwoven hints of earth and spice. Its tannins are very gentle, and this is a full-bodied, pleasurable red. I’ve sample in a variety of ways, accompanying meals and soloing after a long work day. Lot of the latter lately, and not enough of these fine wines. Here’s to the rest of the summer fixing those types of inequities! 

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The Ones That Got Away – Spring 2023

2019 Attila’s Selection Zinfandel, Buena Vista Winery, California, USA; 2019 Machete Red Wine, Orin Swift Wines, California, USA; 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, M by Martellotto Paso Robles, California, USA; 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Robert Story Reserve, Napa Valley, California, USA; 2019 Shirttail Ranches Cabernet Sauvignon, Hess, California, USA;  2018 Bodega de Edgar Migrant Red Blend, Paso Robles, California, USA; 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Prima Materia, California, USA. 2020 Gold Label Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, California, USA; 2019 Grenache McKahn Family Cellars, Amador County, California, USA.
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2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, PureCru Wines

Birthday wine, this gem, one selected specifically for the occasion. Where does a gent go for satisfaction and representation of the Finer Things Club? Yes, the answer is Napa Valley Cab. This one is new for me, a 2016 from PureCru Wines. Let’s break it down.

2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, PureCru Wines, Napa Valley, California, USA.

The date is April 7, 2022. It’s evening, a long workday slowly sliding into the rear view mirror. I’m fatigued, in part from the concentration and in part from the early start of this Thursday. Thankfully this bottle, a dinner of several favorites, and Cara’s good company are there to raise my spirits. Several ‘nifty gifties’ are neatly wrapped and well within my interested gaze…

The 2016 PureCru Cabernet Sauvignon simply caught my eye on a recent trip to the wine store, seeking a bottle worthy of this milestone. Loved the striking bottle design, the raised red lettering both stamped and scrawled over the textured black label. Plus I’m a sucker for anything like the PureCru where there is limited production—there were fewer than 500 cases of this wine produced. 

I think “Napa” is my actual favorite four-letter word? Anyway, the wine is a pleasure. A bright, cheery and cherry wine filled with ripe fruit flavors. It’s all about red fruit and full bodied goodness, but has subtle notes of chocolate or plum just behind the dominant cherry. I’m tired but want to tip my cap to Mitch Cosentino – winemaker – for this 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, which was barrel-aged for 39 months in French oak. I only purchased one, but additional bottles are in order, yes sir…

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2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Cakebread Cellars

Broke out this 2017 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon to help celebrate the special occasion. Cakebread has built quite the cult following (big fan of their Chardonnay in particular in our house) over the past 50 years or so, and we’re so glad to open up a flagship red for Christmas.

It’s a big new world wine. Inky in the glass (we’re doing Cabernet stemware today) and plenty of legs, too. This guy rarely has the patience (or forethought) to let a bottle breathe adequately, but this one did have the better part of an hour to open up before splashing down into our dinner glasses. On the nose you experience dark cherry, maybe just a hint of vanilla or perhaps tobacco underpinning the fruit. The 2017 Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon is well balanced on the palate, with a slightly tannic finish. This wine is full, to be sure, but avoids the jammy, tooth-stainer profile to which I often gravitate in weekend tastings. 

This particular Cakebread accompanied a really delicious cut of beef, a prime rib that had a great bark and a red, juicy center that was perfectly accented by homemade horseradish sauce. To know me is to know I enjoy salty steak and reds in equal measures, but the seasoning and the sauce were just great even without salt. Our Christmas table also included hasselback potatoes, Tuscan kale, popovers (yes, complete with Christmas tree butter, because those finishing touches matter!) and carmelized onion and mushrooms. The house smelled fragrant, a mash up of the beef, garlic, rosemary, and all those aromatics, and added to these heady scents soon was the smell of our dessert (jelly roll consisting of sponge cake and apricot).

Part of the fun with this wine was splitting it four ways, ensuring each of us had a chance to sample the 2017. It was great; the only negative as you might imagine is that we’d only had one on hand for the holiday. I regret it’s taken so long to take up the reviews here at Notes Of Note but encouraging you to stick with it—few good wines from the world over are sure to follow shortly.

In the meantime, season’s greetings to you and best in the year ahead. Thanks for reading!

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The Ones That Got Away – Summer 2021

Life often gets in the way of a timely Notes review, and I look up and see several bottles that have passed by my table without getting their due review. I try to share a “quarterly update” of sorts…perhaps it is of no value whatsoever, but I take this step in part so you as visitors have better context for those wines I do ultimately review.

  • 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, The Dreaming Tree, Acampo, California, USA; 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Meander Wines, Napa, California, USA; 2019 Austin Cabernet Sauvignon, Austin Hope Winery, Paso Robles, California, USA; 2018 Highland Falls Red Wine, Estate of the Art, Middletown, California, USA; 2015 Finca Rio Negro Red Wine, Vino de la Tierra de Castillo, Spain; 2019 Conundrum Red Wine, Wagner Family Wines, Fairfield, California, USA; 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Anderson Family Vineyards, Napa, California, USA; and 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Justin Vineyards & Winery, Paso Robles, California, USA.
  • 2019 Karoly's Selection Petite Sirah, Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma, California, USA.
    2019 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah, Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma, California, USA.
  • 2012 Old Vine Grenache, Quo Ono, Campo de Borja, Spain.
    2012 Old Vine Grenache, Quo Ono, Campo de Borja, Spain.

Without any further preamble, let me share the July/August/September bottles that are described thusly:

  • 2019 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah, Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma, California, USA.
  • 2012 Old Vine Grenache, Quo Ono, Campo de Borja, Spain.
  • 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, The Dreaming Tree, Acampo, California, USA.
  • 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Meander Wines, Napa, California, USA.
  • 2019 Austin Cabernet Sauvignon, Austin Hope Winery, Paso Robles, California, USA.
  • 2018 Highland Falls Red Wine, Estate of the Art, Middletown, California, USA.
  • 2015 Finca Rio Negro Red Wine, Vino de la Tierra de Castillo, Spain.
  • 2019 Conundrum Red Wine, Wagner Family Wines, Fairfield, California, USA.
  • 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Anderson Family Vineyards, Napa, California, USA.
  • 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Justin Vineyards & Winery, Paso Robles, California, USA.

Yes, I acknowledge that certain patterns and tendencies do emerge–both in this snapshot of Q3 2021 as well as throughout Notes. Any time you’re seeking a good gift, or you’re a winemaker looking for advocates, you know where to find me. -R