2011 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
2011 was a crazy year for Napa Cabs. California is in the grip of a massive drought, but that wasn’t the case in 2011. At least in Napa Valley, where rain pummelled …
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Maquis 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley
What do Chateau d’Yquem, Joseph Phelps, Leoville Las Cases, Champagne Roederer, and Dominus Estate have in common? First, they all share the same winemaking consultant, Xavier Chone. Originally hailing from Bordeaux, …
Chalk Hill 2011 Sauvignon Blanc
A unique style of Sauvignon Blanc that typically is referred to as “Fume Blanc” saw its popularity peak in the nineties. You know, last century. That said, this is a fantastic …
Coopers Creek 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough (NZ)
A good price for a worthwhile bottle. Coopers Creek is one of the founding wineries of New Zealand. It’s the winery that gave Kim Crawford his start as a winemaker. Unfortunately, …
Veramonte 2009 “Primus” Cabernet Sauvignon, Rapel Valley
Veramonte is a large winery in Chile’s Casablanca Valley, clocking in at just under 500 hectares. Since its founding, it’s been a US-centric winery, with over 80% of its wines bought …
Frank Family 2010 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
If you are a grape junkie looking to score some top-grade Napa Cabernet, this is a bottle that will ease your pain. If you haven’t experienced something like this before, allow …
Goose Ridge 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley
The big four –Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, International Wine Cellar, and the Wine Advocate– all liked this wine. None of them loved it, but they all gave the wine a solid …
Starmont 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Here we have a wine from the second label of Napa Valley’s Merryvale Vineyard. Wine Spectator frequently calls out that their cabernets are deluxe in a way only Napa Cabs …
Koyle 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Royale, Colchagua Valley
Chilean wine review Colchagua Valley has always been my first choice for Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile. This bottle proves that it’s a good habit to keep up. This is the first …
Merryvale 2008 “Starmont” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
A rock-solid Napa Cab at a rock-solid price. The nose of pencil shavings, vanilla, and toast promises great things to come, and it does deliver. The gritty tannic structure is balanced …
Penley 2010 “Phoenix” Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A classic style of Cabernet Sauvignon, without the overblown fruit and alcohol. Fresh blackberry and strawberry on the nose, along with a hint of cedar. Linear tannins soften in the midpalate, allowing …
Cabernet Sauvignon Smackdown
The top bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon reviewed at Epikur Magazine. From Tuscany to Bordeaux to Napa Valley and South Africa: This list includes the best of the best bottles of Cab Sauv currently available, and the ones with the best quality to price ratio.
Bernardus 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Griva Vineyard, Sonoma County
Classical notes of grass and green pepper on the nose, along with plenty of grapefruit. Flavors of fig and apricot are followed by lemon zest and a touch of waxiness. The wine finishes with smoke and kiwi. A gentle roundness gives this a little more sex appeal than most Sauvignon Blancs.
CrossBarn 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
The “CrossBarn” is remarkably similar to the “Paul Hobbs,” but at half the price. It is lush and dense with richly soft tannins, it stains the glass with a deep crimson. Full bodied, it offers up rich flavors of blackberry and burnt oak that are deeply embedded into a savory impression of fresh bay laurel and roses.
Brancott 2008 “Conders Forest” Sauvignon Blanc
The most complex Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand I have tasted professionally.
Asian Pear, Grapefruit, Pineapple, and Guava blend seamlessly on the palate with the complexity threading through the entire experience. Superb.
Torres Mas La Plana 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon
It would be enough if this were simply an elegant, fully mature Spanish red. But the fact that it’s an elegant, fully mature Spanish red for one-third its usual price makes it truly special.