32 Wine Reviews Found

  • Tasting Note: Tobacco
Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Altagracia 2016
97 Points

Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Altagracia 2016

This is a monumental effort that displays concentrated dark fruit flavors, truffle, tobacco, and graphite. Intense and rich on the palate, luxurious velvet tannins give way to notes of black cherry, plum, espresso, dried savory herbs and cocoa. Exceedingly complex and expensive tasting for the price-point, the 2016 Altagracia showcases the Eisele terroir in an...

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99 Points

Cupano Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015

WOW! This monumentally satisfying Brunello is a show-stopper, just now approaching its drinking window after a few years of cellar time. Launching forth with a fanfare of savory herbs plus layers upon layers of ripe red fruit, smoky oak, flowers and chocolate. The palate is luxuriously rich, with awe-inspiring notes of red and black cherries,...

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97 Points

Elyse Cabernet Rutherford Napa Valley 2019

Wow, this super luscious red wine broods with aromas of dark chocolate, tobacco, crème de menthe, black currant, and blackberry. This crowd-pleaser is intensely satisfying to sip with its dense mouth-filling texture, robust tannic structure, and brilliant balance. We would normally recommend pairing this complex Cabernet with a bold meal such as a Ribeye, but...

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97 Points

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2021

This brand new release from TOR is the first 2021 Napa Cabernet we’ve judged and this classy Cabernet has set the bar high! It tastes supremely serious with its tightly wound dark fruit flavors, hints of caramel, spice box, and tobacco leaf, and superb balance. Its ever-so-present tannins are ripe and structured and give way...

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97 Points

Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018

Having judged the last 20 releases of this collector favorite, we believe this is the most seriously age-worthy vintage to date. A bit of inquiry with our friends at Silver Oak revealed this is a reflection of the fact that the 2018 vintage now includes two prominent new Cabernet vineyard sources. This 2018 features a...

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99 Points

Bob Cabral Pinot Noir Troubadour 2017

Wow! This Pinot is an ultra-rich and luxurious new success that commences with an alluring bouquet of warm Christmas spices leading to a velvety smooth texture. The magical flavors include pomegranate, kirsch, nutmeg, pipe tobacco, and a provocative finish (60+ seconds) that offers savory hints of creamy oak plus black truffles. This new discovery reminds...

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97 Points

Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon Pocai 2019

A delicious game-changer for this under-the-radar winery , the 2019 Karl Lawrence Pocai Vineyard Cabernet soars from the glass with lavish, dark ripe fruit flavors including currant, raspberry, black cherry, and plum with an inviting mélange of sweet tobacco leaf, mocha and creamy caramel. A prodigious effort, the flamboyant flavors are deftly balanced with plush...

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98 Points

Goldeneye Pinot Noir Ten Degrees 2019

Soaring out of the glass with perfumed, fresh fruit aromatics, this showstopper captures the depth and complexity found exclusively in the most luxurious Pinots in America (a short list!). The palate features an array of intense dark fruit flavors including cranberry, chocolate-covered cherry, toasty oak, and truffle. The deftly balanced finish offers hints of smoky...

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100 Points

Bryant Cabernet Sauvignon Bettina 2016

Probably the finest Bryant Family we’ve judged, this magnificent beauty is a true thoroughbred; designed to perform gracefully now and provide fast-paced thrills for at least a decade to come. The first sip captures your attention with a velvety smooth texture reminiscent of a cashmere sweater on Christmas night. Loads of charcoal, cedar wood, spring...

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98 Points

Sloan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Asterisk 2017

This ultra-velvety new release is 100% rich and luscious, displaying intense blueberry cream and hints of cocoa on the finish. We were dazzled by the almost Amarone-like finish that featured a complex array of exotic tobacco and black tea. Bravo!   Photo: Sloan Estate

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