East Hills Wine Club
Rare Wines - Napa
Napa, North Coast, California, USA The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Kenefick Ranch (which Les Behrens calls, “the poor man’s Araujo”) is a fat, expansive, deep, concentrated effort displaying an inky/purple color as well as super aromas of blueberry liqueur, smoke, creme de cassis, and hints of chocolate and espresso. Medium to full-bodied, with super depth in addition to a tremendously persistent finish of 45-50 seconds, it will require 2-3 years of bottle age, and should drink well for 15-16.
Napa, North Coast, California, USA There are just over 1000 cases of the Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the hillsides of the Blankiet estate. The 2002 possesses floral, blueberry, and espresso roast notes and big, sweet, black currant fruit infused with chocolate, barbecue spice, and meaty notes. The wine is big, rich, and complex, with sweet tannin and a multi-layered, concentrated finish. This is an amazing operation on the hillsides overlooking the huge Dominus/Napanook estate. A complex set of caves and a remarkable, nearly surreal chateau grace the property. Winemaker Helen Turley, working with her viticulturalist husband, John Wetlaufer, is fashioning some spectacular wines from these hillsides of volcanic ash and basalt. These are big, structured, potentially long-lived wines that will need some cellar time for those lucky enough to latch onto a few bottles. Everything to date has been aged in 100% new Taransaud barrels for 18-19 months and then bottled unfiltered.
Napa, North Coast, California, USA The deep, rich 2002 Merlot is not up to the level of the 2003, although it does possess fabulously complex notes of scorched earth, chocolate, espresso roast, and meaty black cherries, currants, and plums. A broodingly backward, concentrated, full-bodied, dense, and super-rich Merlot, it should drink well for 15 or more years. This is an amazing operation on the hillsides overlooking the huge Dominus/Napanook estate. A complex set of caves and a remarkable, nearly surreal chateau grace the property. Winemaker Helen Turley, working with her viticulturalist husband, John Wetlaufer, is fashioning some spectacular wines from these hillsides of volcanic ash and basalt. These are big, structured, potentially long-lived wines that will need some cellar time for those lucky enough to latch onto a few bottles. Everything to date has been aged in 100% new Taransaud barrels for 18-19 months and then bottled unfiltered.
Napa, North Coast, California, USA The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is one of Bo Barrett's finest efforts. While tightly knit, 24 hours of aeration reveals its upside potential. Dense ruby/purple with a nose of crushed rocks intermixed with creme de cassis and a hint of licorice, this full-bodied, pure, deep offering will be at its peak between 2010-2025. It is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc that came in at 14.1% alcohol.
Score: 94 Dark and sturdy, this is an immense, structured wine built for the long haul, delivering intense earthy currant, black cherry, mineral and sage flavors. Finishes with a solid wall of tannins, so hands off for now. Best from 2004 through 2018. 900 cases made.
Score: 89 Tight, tart and compact, but rich in flavor, with crisp, stemmy black cherry and wild-berry flavors. Turns firmly tannic, with an oaky, earthy aftertaste. Needs time. Best from 2004 through 2014. 500 cases made.
Score: 94 Wonderful depth, richness and purity of flavor to this young Red Rock, with juicy black cherry, currant, wild berry, plum, cedar, mineral and light toasty oak nuances. Tight and concentrated, it's a superb wine, rich and long on the finish. Best from 2004 through 2018. 600 cases made.
Sonoma, North Coast, California, USA There are no reservations about the 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Wedding Vineyard (430 cases). It boasts an opaque purple color along with gorgeous aromas of graphite, sweet barbecue smoke, earth, licorice, creme de cassis, and a hint of prunes. It is dense, full-bodied, and layered, with considerable power and tannin as well as exceptional extract, richness, and balance. It will be its finest between 2005-2020.
Napa, North Coast, California, USA The fabulous 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Lamb Vineyard exhibits an inky/purple color as well as a gorgeous perfume of scorched earth, graphite, chocolate, blackberries, cassis, and minerals. Dense, full-bodied, and heady, but tannic and structured, this masculine Cabernet needs 4-5 years of cellaring, and should keep for two decades.
Score: 87 Elegantly styled, with a trim, somewhat green edge to the cedary currant, spice and herbal-tobacco flavors that offer modest richness and concentration. Drink now through 2010. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 1,700 cases made.
Napa, North Coast, California, USA The 1997 Bourriquot (a Cheval Blanc-like blend of approximately two-thirds Cabernet Franc and one-third Merlot) is sensational. My notes start with the words "great stuff." The dark ruby/purple color is accompanied by a sumptuous nose of coconuts, black currants, vanilla, and floral scents. This medium to full-bodied wine exhibits exceptional fruit purity and presence, great finesse and elegance, prodigious potential for complexity, and a sexy, opulently-textured finish. It can be drunk early, but promises to be even better with 3-4 years of cellaring; it will keep for two decades.
2003 Hundred Acre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard
Production for the Kayli Morgan Vineyard is slightly in excess of 1,000 cases, and this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon often comes across like an opulent, full throttle French Pomerol. The 2003 (which was scheduled to be bottled a month after my visit) is a rich, full-bodied, opulent, powerful effort exhibiting noteworthy notes of espresso roast and cassis liqueur. It also reveals more rustic tannin than it did last year. Nevertheless, it is a sweet, expansive, blockbuster Cabernet that should drink well for 12-15+ years.
Deftly balanced, with dark color and rich fruit. Elegant, with tiers of currant, mocha, blackberry and espresso bean. Firms up at midpalate and flexes its tannic strength on the finish. Best to cellar a year or two. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Best from 2004 through 2012. 15,000 cases made.
Lail Vineyards The 2001 boasts a saturated blue/purple color in addition to gorgeously sweet aromas of creme de cassis, smoke, minerals, white flowers, and subtle wood, a voluptuous palate, great intensity, sensational purity, and seamlessly integrated tannin, acidity, and alcohol. It will be interesting to see whether this beauty remains 100% Cabernet Sauvignon when bottled. At present, it is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon because Philippe Melka is not excited about the Merlot quality vis a vis the greatness of the Cabernet Sauvignon in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025.
Lail Vineyards The 2000 J. Daniel Cuvee performed better than it did last year. One of the top efforts of the vintage, this 1,400 case blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot (both Howell Mountain and Yountville sourced fruit) exhibits an elegant perfume of forest floor intertwined with black currants and subtle toast notes. The finish is long, elegant, and persistent. It's not a blockbuster, but then, no 2000 is. Drink this beautifully balanced, pure red over the next 10-12 years.
Score: 93 Beautifully crafted, rich, vibrant and deftly balanced. Wonderful currant, blackberry, anise, sage, mineral and fresh earth offer layers of complexity and concentration. Finishes with just the right amount of tannins to give it a solid backbone. Best from 2005 through 2014. 5,365 cases made.
Score: 92 Creamy, toasty oak introduces this rich, multifaceted wine, with mocha-laced currant and black cherry fruit filling out the palate. Gains velocity and intensity on the long finish, where it shows a wonderful array of flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2004 through 2012. 1,694 cases made.
Shafer Vineyards The 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select possesses lots of fatness in the mid-palate. There is plenty of tannin in this full-bodied, rich effort. It is remarkable how the finest California Cabernets combine extraordinary power and richness with balance and elegance. A stupendous wine, it is worth a special effort to obtain. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2030.
Shafer Vineyards Since 1991, Shafer's Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon has unquestionably been one of the top dozen or so California Cabernets. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged 32 months in 100% French oak casks (the majority Taransaud), it possesses the elegance and finesse one would expect from the Stag's Leap area, but also monumental power, richness, and intensity. The 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is one of the vintage's super-stars. Its opaque purple color is accompanied by super aromatics, immense body, great fruit extraction, superb purity and overall symmetry, as well as a 40+ second finish. Revealing exceptional intensity (but no heaviness) as well as perfectly integrated acidity, tannin, and alcohol, this fabulous Cabernet will drink wonderfully for three decades.
Shafer Vineyards The first vintage of Hillside Select that was not sterile filtered at bottling, the 1990 reveals far greater aromatic intensity and complexity. Sweet scents of red and black fruits, spicy oak, roasted herbs, toast, and vanilla jump from the glass. The wine possesses full body, great fruit extraction, plenty of glycerin, and chewy, gorgeously-proportioned, supple, rich flavors unaccompanied by the hard, tannic structure and heaviness usually associated with wines of this level of extraction. Flavorful, accessible, and already complex, the 1990 should be fully mature by the turn of the century and last for two decades.
Score: 88 Starts out with creamy, milk chocolaty oak leading to a core of currant and plum-flavored fruit, offering richness, depth and complexity, finishing with a plush, concentrated aftertaste. Those who like well-oaked Cabernets will find this most appealing. Drink now through 2010. 25,000 cases made.
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2002
Behrens and Hitchcock Cabernet Sauvignon Kenefick Ranch
2002
Blankiet Cabernet Sauvignon Paradise Hills Vineyard 
2001
Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa
Diamond
Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Volcanic Hill 1998
Diamond
Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Gravelly Meadow 1998
1999
Fisher Cabernet Sauvignon Wedding Vineyard
2001
Fisher Cabernet Sauvignon Lamb Vineyard
Groth
Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Reserve 1999
1997
Havens Wine Cellar Bourriquot
Hundred
Acre Vineyard 
Joseph
Phelps Insignia Napa Valley 2000
2001
Lail Vineyards J Daniel Cuvee
Niebaum-Coppola
Collectibles Rubicon Rutherford 2000
Pine
Ridge Andrus Reserve Napa Valley 1999
1995
Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
1996
Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 
Silver
Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2000