Flora Springs Family Estate Trilogy 2018, Napa Valley, California

It’s time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Inky in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose with black currants, black plums, blueberries, ripe cherries, light cedar, light earth, vanilla, black pepper, chocolates, coffee and pencil lead.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long skinny legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, black currants, coffee, oak, vanilla, vegetables, black pepper, spices, chocolates, dark coffee, herbs, tobacco leaf, leather and earth.

Medium on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very nice Cabernet Sauvignon based blend from Napa Valley. Still young and will benefit from some bottle aging. Has good potential to become a really nice wine.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes of airtime. Really nice nose once it opens up.

Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years, however, already drinking nicely and showing nice complexity.

The Malbec seems very dominant at the moment. Spicy and tangy. Fruit forward and tasty.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses and olives.

A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 8% Malbec. Aged in mostly French oak barrels for 18 months.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$85.

Abito Wines Malbec 2019 Mendoza, Argentina

Dark purple in color with a purplish rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, sweet plums, black currants, chocolates, light wood and spices.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, licorice ,spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth and vegetables.

Soft tannins on the finish with spices.

This is a nice Malbec from Mendoza. Tangy and easy drinking.

Showing a soft mouthfeel with mild complexity.

A good everyday wine and good for parties. Fruit forward and very approachable young.

I paired it with BBQ Meats.

100% Malbec grapes were aged in French oak barrels for 8 months. A small production of only 5,000 bottles made.

14.3% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$19.

Ghost Block Estate Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Napa Valley, California

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Rich and extracted. Spicy and interesting.

Showing blackberries, coffee, cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates, tobacco, peppercorn, figs, raisins, vanilla, licorice and black pepper.

Full bodied, big and bold, with medium acidity.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with nice complexity and mouthfeel.

Nicely balanced and fruit forward. Tasty and delicious. Loved smelling on it for a long time.

Good right out of the bottle, but so much better after 2 hours of airtime.

I had this vintage over a year ago, and it is so much better now. Will be even better in 5 years.

A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon with some Malbec and Petit Verdot. Aged for 24 months in French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$75.

Mosquita Muerta Wines Perro Callejero Blend de Malbec 2018, Mendoza, Argentina

Dark ruby/purple in color with a short purple rim.

Strong nose of black plums, black currants, coffee, oak, cloves, earth, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, light bone fire smoke, herbs and black pepper.

Full bodied with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, black pepper, chocolates, coffee, licorice, spices, light tobacco and earth.

Medium finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a nice everyday wine from Mendoza, Argentina. Easy drinking and spicy, with a nice mouthfeel.

Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime. I gave it a few hours in a decanter to open up and show some complexity.

A nice porch wine that I paired with cheeses and crackers.

100% Malbec grapes were grown at 3,000 feet of elevation. Partially aged for six months in French Oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$16.

L’Ecole No 41 Winery Frenchtown 2019, Columbia Valley, Washington State

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Time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Purple in color with a purplish rim.

Fruity nose of black plums, black currants, oak, spices, tobacco, vanilla, licorice, light alcohol, blueberries, light earth, pencil lead, coffee, chocolates and peppercorn.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, licorice, oak, vanilla, chocolates, tobacco and peppercorn.

Short finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a young red blend from Columbia Valley. Fruit forward with a nice mouthfeel.

A good everyday wine to sip on by the porch. Easy drinking, tangy and interesting.

Good now, and will be better in a couple of years. Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.

A blend of 45% Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Syrah and Grenache. Aged for 9 months in neutral oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$22.

Patland Estate Vineyards Lillá in Fiore Napa Valley Rosé 2019, California

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Very light red/ pinkish in color with light intensity and a neon hue.

Strong nose of raspberries, light cherries, citrus, light barnyard, lemons, spices, light herbs and white pepper.

Full bodied, creamy and smooth, with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, raspberries, spices, light earth, lemons, pears, ginger and black pepper.

Long finish with tangy lemons.

This is a delicious Rosé from Napa Valley. Smooth and elegant with such a pretty color. Interesting and engaging.

Nicely balanced with a great mouthfeel. Rich with nice complexity.

Fruit forward and tastes like a very light red. Interesting stuff.

A nice sipping wine. Good right out of the bottle and good by itself or with food. Paired beautifully with the prosciutto.

A blend of Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo. Aged in neutral French Oak barrels for 6 months. A small production of only 2,892 bottles. This is bottle number 2,469.

14.4% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$42.

Meadowcroft Wines The Panorama 2017 Napa Valley, California

Dark ruby in color with a pretty reddish rim.

Fruity nose with blueberries, black cherries, oak, vanilla, coffee, licorice, spices, chocolates, pencil lead, light herbs and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, black currants, cherries, oak, chocolates, vanilla, spices, tobacco, herbs, earth, light vegetables, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Medium plus in length on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Still young, but already tasty. Nicely balanced and spicy, with a soft mouthfeel.

Good right out of the bottle and better after 2 hours of airtime, when tannins come in. Would be nice to check it out again in 5 years.

A nice food wine, and good by itself as a sipping wine as well. Very enjoyable and easy to drink. Elegant and fruit forward.

I paired it with dried meats and Brie cheese.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit verdot, Merlot and Malbec. Aged in French oak barrels (30% new) for over 2 years.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65.

Kukeri Wines Stags Leap District Proprietary Red Blend 2018 Napa Valley, California

It’s time for a nice Cabernet for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Strong nose of blackberries, black currants, cooked plums, cedar, earth, vanilla, licorice, espresso, pencil lead, black pepper, spices, herbs and light vegetables.

Full-bodied, big and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, black plums, oak, licorice, spices, coffee, cola, pencil lead, light peppercorn, vegetables, vanilla, earth and beef jerky.

Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This young Bordeaux blend from Stags Leap is spicy and interesting, and already drinking very nicely. Fruit forward and nicely balanced.

Showing nice complexity with a great mouthfeel. Tasty and rich, soft and warm.

Needs 2 hours to open up properly, so be patient.

Showing great potential to be a great 95+ point wine, and will age nicely in the next 15 years. A good quality wine that would be nice to revisit in 5 to 10 years.

I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses. Will pair nicely with BBQ Meats.

A blend of 52% Cabernet Franc, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec, 3% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. A small production of only 290 cases. Aged in French and American oak barrels for 18 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65.

Foyt Family Wines Meritage No 72 2016 Sonoma County, California

Time to add some Merlot to our life, on this #MerlotThursday. This Meritage blend will have to do.

This is a very tasty red blend from Sonoma County. Nicely balanced, spicy and tangy with a nice mouthfeel and nice complexity.

Showing black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates, tobacco, peppercorn, graphite and dark coffee.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

Good by itself or with food. I let it open up in a decanter for 3 hours.

Should age nicely in the next 5 years.

Paired very nicely with the Camembert cheese.

A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 6% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$38.

Calla Lily Estate Audax Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, California

We have a new president! Time for a Celebratory wine 🍷

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose with cedar, blackberries, vanilla, licorice, black plums, black currants, raisins, figs, chocolates, cola, earth, coffee, spices, violets and black pepper.

Full bodied, elegant and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, dark chocolates, peppercorn, tobacco and light herbs.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Showing nice complexity with a great mouthfeel.

Easy drinking and elegant. Nicely balanced, fruit forward and spicy.

Good right out of the bottle and better with some air time (90 minutes).

This 5 year old is still young, and will age nicely in the next 10 years.
Nice to see a Napa Cabernet that is not too high in alcohol.

Good by itself or with food. A great sipping wine by the porch, but will be great with a piece of steak too.

A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. Aged for 27 months in French Oak barrels (50% new). A very small production of only 1,600 bottles.

14.1% alcohol by alcohol.

93 points

$120.