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Below you will find a list of highly collectable wines which range from 94-100 points. The pricing is excellent. 5% off 6,10% off on12 or more. Cheers!!
All the best Rex & Michele
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SYRAH
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2014 Mark Ryan Wild Eyed Red Mountain Syrah~~Washington~~Walla Walla
$49 per
Released May 2016, 835 cases produced.Their Red Mountain Syrah is the 2014 Wild Eyed Syrah, which was always closed and reticent from barrel. Giving up dark fruits and chocolaty notes, withA plenty of minerality, it's ripe, textured and mouth- filling on the palate. Most 2014s will drink nicely right out of the gate given their wealth of fruit, but give this a year or two.
94 points
Jeb Dunnuck
Robert Parker,
The Wine Advocate
The 2010 CV is the winery's celebrated old vines (80+ years) blend, aged in a mixture of new (75%) and old barriques for 22 months (meaning that this was just bottled in August, 2012, making it a big, young puppy). Happily (about a full point) lower in alcohol than last year's version, this is well balanced while once again being the deepest wine in the lineup. If it does not quite seem as fresh and elegant as the Vale D. Maria, in its own right it is still rather harmonious and a pleasure to drink, a wine that makes its bones with balance and concentration (relative to the vintage) rather than sweetness and power. It should become a remarkably graceful CV in time. It is a bit oak tinged at the moment, but that should be absorbed well. This is super and I think it is a big success, especially in the context of this vintage. It should be approachable young, but of course it will benefit from a few years in the cellar to allow it to develop some expressiveness. It tightens noticeably with air. There were 6,000 bottles produced, plus some large format bottles. Drink 2015-2026.
94 points
Robert Parker,
The Wine Advocate
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2014 Roar Rosella's Vineyard Syrah~~California~~Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey, Central Coast
$48 per
Possessing a drop dead gorgeous bouquet of black cherries, spring flowers, plums, peppery herbs and underbrush, the 2014 Syrah Rosella's Vineyard is medium to full-bodied, seamless and polished on the palate, with a beautiful elegance and purity to its fruit. It has plenty of tannin, but they're perfectly ripe, and this sensational California Syrah can be enjoyed anytime over the coming decade or more. -95 points Jeb Dunnuck,
Robert Parker,
The Wine Advocate
Offering striking depth and polish, this Syrah is irresistible now but will improve in the cellar. Floral blackberry and smoky pepper aromas open to rich, plush flavors of tapenade, cured meat and blueberry that linger. Drink now through 2028. -95 points Tim Fish Wine Spectator
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2011 Jonata Syrah - La Sangre de Jonata~~California~~Santa Barbara~~Santa Ynez Valley
Same wine team/winemakers for
Screaming Eagle Wines, only 11 bottles available
$119 per
More lively and pure, with brighter acidity than the 2010, the 2011 La Sangre de Jonata gives up plenty of violets, toast, licorice, chocolate and blackberry fruit as well as a full-bodied, supple and gorgeously focused and pure feel in the mouth. More approachable than the 2010, and scoring high on drinkability, this beauty will benefit from another year or thee and drink nicely through 2026. Drink 2015-2026. 96 points Jeb Dunnuck Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
This was an incredible tasting with winemaker Matt Dees. This estate continues to produce some of the most impressive, long-lived wines in Santa Barbara 96 points Jeb Dunnuck Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
Rose petals, mint, savory herbs and dark-toned fruit meld together in the 2011 La Sangre de Jonata, a wine that has really come together over the last year. Exquisite and impeccably balanced in the glass, the 2011 is bright, articulate and wonderfully expressive. In this vintage, winemaker Matt Dees air-dried a portion of the fruit to give the wine a little more body, an approach that worked very well. Dollops of Grenache and Viognier round out the blend. 95 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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MERLOT
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2012 Arietta Merlot~~California~~Napa
$69.50 per, only 12 bottles available
Arietta's 2012 Merlot emerges from the oldest vines on Lee Hudson's vineyard in Carneros. A dark, super-expressive wine, the Merlot is endowed with serious depth, power and structure. Brambly red fruit, smoke, tobacco and grilled herbs emerge from a surprisingly big, structured wine that should drink well for many, many years. This is the finest and most complete set of wines I can remember tasting from Arietta. Proprietor Fritz Hatton and winemaker Andy Erickson seem to have reached a new level of quality with the 2012s and 2013s, both of which are brilliant. This is a fabulous showing from top to bottom.
95 points Antonio Galloni Vinious
(10/2014)
The 2012 Merlot Hudson Vineyards comes from two of the most renowned blocks of that hallowed site, the southwest-facing G and I blocks. Its color is nearly more opaque and denser than the Cabernet Sauvignon's, and the aromas include mocha, plum and cassis. With good acidity and underlying earthiness, medium to full body, and attractive freshness, exuberance and vigor, this top-notch, serious Merlot is still young. While I am not opposed to infanticide on this one, it is capable of lasting (and may get even better) for another 10-15 years. From well-known auctioneer and musician, Fritz Hatton, and his wife, Caren, the Arietta offerings are always among the more interesting and singular from Napa Valley.
92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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2012 Jonata Merlot - Fenix
de Jonata
~~California~~Santa Barbara~~Santa Ynez Valley
Same wine team/winemakers for Screaming Eagle Wines, only 11 bottles available
$80 per
There are roughly 200 cases of the sensational 2012 Fenix. A blend of 69% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot, it reveals a Bordeaux-like perfume of black cherries, plums, tobacco leaf, leather and damp soil. Full-bodied, supple and more elegant than powerful, it still has terrific density and length on the palate, with ample sweet tannin. I'd happily drink it today, but savvy readers would ideally give it 2-4 years of bottle age and drink bottles through 2032. 95+ points Robert Parker The Wine Advocate: August, 2015
The 2012 Fenix, Jonata's Merlot-based red has turned out beautifully. Explosive and full-bodied, the 2012 hits the palate with serious intensity. Dark cherry, plum, wild flowers, spices and savory herbs are laced into the finish. The Fenix appears to have put on considerable weight over the last year, some of which is attributable to the addition of press wines, which have given the wine more backbone. The Fenix was aged in French oak barrels, 80% new. 94 points
Antonio Galloni
Vinous: August, 2015
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PINOT NOIR
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2014 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Ulises Valdez~~
California~~Napa~~St. Helena
$79 per
The three most limited cuvées of Pinot Noir in 2014 include the 2014 Pinot Noir Ulises Valdez, which has a dense purple color (looking more like Cabernet than Pinot), a terrific nose of rose petals, blueberries and black raspberries, an opulent, even sumptuous texture, and a full-bodied finish. This is a sensational Pinot to drink over the next 10-15 years. 95 - 97 Points Robert Parker
The Wine Advocate
#223, March 2016
The 2014 Pinot Noir Ulises Valdez Vineyard possesses notable purity and depth, but it also comes across as a bit raw and not fully formed. There is plenty to admire in the wine's explosive energy. It will be interesting to see if the new oak and overall impression of elevated ripeness mellow out a bit over time. Paul Hobbs describes 2013 as a consistently warm, dry year but without excesses. I remember stopping by in January of that year, and being quite surprised when Hobbs told me he was likely to start irrigating imminently, which is highly unusual. Then again, the drought was already causing stress in the vineyards. Overall, the 2014s have a touch more natural acidity and as well as more overall brightness and tension. New oak is up in the 2014s, but most wines appear to have the underlying material to support the oak and what is projected to be longer time in barrel. Most importantly, the 2014s show greater delineation of site than the 2013s. 91-94 Vinous (AG) (1/2016)
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2013 Bevan Cellars Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Petaluma Gap~~California~~Sonoma
$79.50 per
The 2013 Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap is a Sonoma Coast AVA made from Dijon clones 777, 115 and 838 and aged in a combination of Francois Freres and Gamba cooperage. With a gorgeous Cotes de Nuits/Vosne-Romanee-like nose of forest floor, spring flowers such as violets, lush black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, the wine is long, lavishly rich, and medium to full-bodied. This velvety textured, lush and complex Pinot Noir should drink well for at least a decade. 94 points Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
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2012 Drouhin Nuits St Georges Les Proces 1er Cru~~France~~Burgundy
$115 per
The first things to notice are the tannins with a strongly dry core. This wine is dark, dense and concentrated, still allowing red fruits and acidity to give freshness. It is a big, juicy wine with a great future. Drink from 2020. 94 Wine Enthusiast
Relatively strong reduction pushes the fruit to the background and I would strongly recommend decanting this first if you're tempted to try a bottle young. There is a highly textured mouth feel to the powerful and impressively complex medium-bodied flavors that possess an abundance of dry extract that buffers the firm tannic spine on the sneaky long finish. This will be more approachable than many wines in the range young, but personally I would opt to cellar this for the longer-term. 92 points Allen Meadows' Burghound
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WHITE WINE
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2012 Alphonse Mellot Satellite Sancerre Blanc~~France~~Sancerre, Loire
$57 per
Made from five different lieux-dits of the coteaux de Chavignol, with vines rooted in clay limestone soils for approximately 50 years, the 2012 Sancerre Satellite of Alphonse Mellot is a lovely fruity, fresh and appetizing mineral Chavignol of great precision, elegance and balance. Dressed in pale straw yellow, the wine is like an Armani perfume quoting citric and herbal aromas of limestoned yellow citrus, grapefruits, clementines, thyme and white nectarines. This is an outstanding Chavignol of great purity and length with vibrant energy and tension and a persistent salty finish. This is an impressively enjoyable, elegant and complex Sancerre indeed.
94 points
Robert Parker
The Wine Advocate
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2014 Bevan Cellars Chardonnay Russian River Ritchie Vineyard~~California~~Sonoma
$69.50 per
His 2014 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is 100% from this famous vineyard source for Chardonnay, planted with the old Wente clone. There are 250 cases of this wine, which is aged in three-fourths François Frères cooperage and the remainder in Remond. Light golden with a greenish hue, the wine reveals honeyed apricot, white peach, wet pebbles and floral notes. It is rich, full-bodied, loaded with minerality and extremely pure, with the oak well-concealed. This should drink well for 4-5 years, if not longer. 95 points Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
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BIG RED BLENDS
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2010 Quinta Vale D. Maria Curriculum Vitae Douro~~Portugal
$89.50 per
Grapes used for Quinta Vale D. Maria Douro Reds come from all the oldest plots of the quinta, averaging some 60 years of age, and covering a broad spectrum of more than 40 different Douro traditional varieties, among them Tinta Amarela, Rufete, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Francisca, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, and many others.
The 2010 CV is the winery's celebrated old vines (80+ years) blend, aged in a mixture of new (75%) and old barriques for 22 months (meaning that this was just bottled in August, 2012, making it a big, young puppy). Happily (about a full point) lower in alcohol than last year's version, this is well balanced while once again being the deepest wine in the lineup. If it does not quite seem as fresh and elegant as the Vale D. Maria, in its own right it is still rather harmonious and a pleasure to drink, a wine that makes its bones with balance and concentration (relative to the vintage) rather than sweetness and power. It should become a remarkably graceful CV in time. It is a bit oak tinged at the moment, but that should be absorbed well. This is super and I think it is a big success, especially in the context of this vintage. It should be approachable young, but of course it will benefit from a few years in the cellar to allow it to develop some expressiveness. It tightens noticeably with air. There were 6,000 bottles produced, plus some large format bottles. Drink 2015-2026. 94 points Robert Parker The Wine Advocate
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2012 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour~~California~~Napa Valley~~Oak Knoll
$99 per, only 7 bottles available
A blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc (á la a St.-Emilion), the gorgeous 2012 Proprietary Red Paramour offers up notes of Christmas fruitcake, forest floor, mulberries, black cherries and currants. Full-bodied and beautifully fruity without a lot of weight, this is a beautiful example of a complex wine to drink over the next 10-12 years. 94 points Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2014
Another fine proprietary red blend from this producer, this one holds a majority of Cabernet Franc with a sizable proportion of Merlot and smidgen of Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker Aaron Pott makes a statement in caramel and dark chocolate at the entry, followed by a structured, juicy and brooding palate of well-integrated tannins and firm, earthy red fruit. 92 points Virginie Boone Wine Enthusiast, August 1, 2015
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CABERNET FRANC
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2012 Jonata El Alma de Jonata
~~California~~Santa Barbara~~Santa Ynez Valley
Same wine team/winemakers for Screaming Eagle Wines, only 11 bottles available
$129 per
California's Cheval Blanc (or maybe Le Dome is a better comparison), the Cabernet Franc dominated 2012 El Alma de Jonata incorporates 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot and is brought up in 80% new French oak. It has an incredible bouquet of tobacco leaf, lead pencil shavings, sweet currants, crushed rock and violets that come screaming from the glass. This is followed by a full-bodied red that shows a sensational purity of fruit, a full, layered mid-palate and building structure and tannic grip. While it's not an outright powerhouse, it certainly doesn't lack for concentration or depth. Give it 4-5 years and drink it over the following two decades. 96+ Points Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
The 2012 El Alma de Jonata has gained considerable power and structure since I last tasted it a year ago. An exotic, alluring melange of mocha, espresso, raspberry jam and wild flowers proves to be totally captivating. The Cabernet Franc character really screams out in the 2012. Ideally, readers should give the 2012 a few years in bottle for the tannins to soften, but it is impressive, even today. The 2012 was aged in French oak, 80% new. - 95 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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2011 Jonata El Alma de Jonata
~~California~~Santa Barbara~~Santa Ynez Valley
Same wine team/winemakers for Screaming Eagle Wines, only 11 bottles available
$119 per
While there was no El Almas produced in 2010 due to late rains, the 2011 El Alma de Jonata is beautiful. Most similar to the 2008, with pure, pretty notes of wild herbs, dark chocolate, tobacco, crushed flowers and currants, it flows onto the palate with beautiful freshness and purity, big richness and a great finish. Give it another couple of years and enjoy it through 2026. Drink 2015-2026. 96
Points Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
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CABERNET
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2013
Cimarossa Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Riva Di Levante~~Californaia~~Howell Mountain
$99 per
Waiting on Review...95 points Robert Parker
Brings together both the opulence and structure of the year. The flavors are intense and boldly sketched, while there is more than enough pliancy to balance the tannins that lurk beneath. 93-95 points Antonio Galloni Vinious
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2010 Lamborn Vintage Cabernet VIII, California~~
Howell Mountain, Napa
$99 per
500 cases produced.
Heidi Barrett, winemaker
. Very rare to find, normally mailing list only. Only 10 bottles available
It's full bodied, with blackberry jam, black currant, dark chocolate and toasty oak flavors. The tannin-acid balance is as fine as Napa gets. Delicious now, but give it at least six years to achieve even more complexity. 95 points Wine Enthusiast
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2012 Arietta Cabernet~~California~~Napa
$125 per
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is fabulous. Gorgeous, expressive aromatics meld into dark red stone fruits in a Cabernet of pure breed and class. These cool sites in Coombsville yield a Cabernet built on savory aromatics, perfume and depth. There is so much going on in the glass that words prove superficial in trying to describe just how beautiful the 2012 is. Majestic. That might do it. This is the finest and most complete set of wines I can remember tasting from Arietta. Proprietor Fritz Hatton and winemaker Andy Erickson seem to have reached a new level of quality with the 2012s and 2013s, both of which are brilliant. This is a fabulous showing from top to bottom. 96 Points Vinous Good bright ruby. Lovely floral lift to the aromas of cassis, licorice and graphite minerality. Densely packed on the palate, showing an extremely fine-grained texture to the sexy flavors of cassis, blueberry, licorice and truffle; the perfumed character follows through in the mouth. Combines stuffing and lift, like the best examples from the 2012 vintage. Noble tannins dust the entire palate. Terrific potential. 92-94 Points Stephen Tanzer Their most conventional cuvée, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a two-acre block of vines in Coombsville. It exhibits a dense ruby/purple hue as well as juicy blackcurrant and blueberry fruit, a subtle hint of new oak in the background, and touches of earth and spice. This medium to full-bodied, elegant, structured, Bordeaux-like Cabernet Sauvignon is rich, full, ripe and impressive, although still very young. Forget it for 2-3 years and drink it over the following 15-20 years. Wine Advocate: 91 Points
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2013 Kamen Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1.5 MAGNUM~~California, Sonoma
$189 per magnum, only 4 available
Kamen's 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and his biggest cuvee of 1,800 cases. It's a spectacular Cabernet, dense purple with notes of lead pencil shavings, blackberry, pen ink and cassis followed by a full-bodied, opulent, voluptuously textured wine with sweet tannins, stunning delineation, precision (a characteristic of 2013) and great length and richness. This is a stunner - a fabulous wine and, at this price point, very attractive. It should drink well for 25-30 years. 96 points Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Kamen Vineyard, from site designed with modern, tight spacing, is a fascinating contrast to the Montecillo, where the spacing is classic old California. Here the flavors are dark, rich and powerful, with tons of voluptuousness and intensity. This is the last year of the Kamen Cabernet for Bedrock. 92-94 points -- Antonio Galloni Vinous
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2012 Kamen Cabernet Sauvignon Kashmir Cuvee
~~California, Sonoma
$198 per
The winerys top lots were culled out for the 2012 Kashmir (100% Cabernet Sauvignon). Sadly, only six barrels were made of this quintessential North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon. Its inky/black/purple color is accompanied by a stunning perfume of charcoal, lead pencil shavings, blackberries and new oak. Full-bodied with beautiful purity and symmetry as well as a multidimensional mouthfeel, this stupendous 2012 red wine can be drunk over the next 15-20 years. 98 points Robert Parker,
The Wine Advocate
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2012 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard~~California~~Napa~~St. Helena
$199.50 per
Of the three Beckstoffer Vineyards, it's pretty much a joyride as to which one readers may prefer. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard of St. Helena is a knockout: a broad, opulent, round Cabernet fruitbomb with lots of cassis, incense, and blackberry. The wine is full-bodied, generously endowed with terrific purity, texture and length. This is a star and, believe it or not, it's come in well under 15% natural alcohol. This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 15 or more years. 98 points
Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
#215 (Oct 2014) Drink 2014 - 2030
A rich, unctuous wine, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard possesses magnificent richness and depth. Today, the 2012 is quite open and opulent, in the classic style for the year. Sweet red cherry, plum, spice, mocha and new leather are all pushed forward in a sexy, voluptuous wine to drink over the next 10-15 years. This is a classic 2012 with plenty of near and medium term appeal. 95 points Antonio Galloni
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2013 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard~~California~~Napa~~St. Helena
$209.50 per (lowest price on net - Texas prices $240-$270)
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard displays loads of charcoal, barbecue smoke, blueberry and blackberry fruit, an opulent, full-bodied mouthfeel, and hints of charcoal and subtle oak in a full-bodied, multi-dimensional style. Drink it over the next 20 years. - 98 Points Robert Parker,
The Wine Advocate
March 2016
Fabulous aromas of sweet tobacco in a curing barn, black currants, stones and spices. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and superb length. Graphite. Very, very complex. Super structure. Better in 2020.- (Friday, January 15, 2016) 98 Points - James Suckling
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is rich, powerful and explosive. The underlying minerality and intensity of this site comes through in spades. Lavender, crushed rocks, graphite, smoke and incense add shades of dimension. Readers will have to give the 2013 a few years to soften, but there is plenty to like. - 96 Points - Antonio Galloni October 2015
Refreshingly taut, dense and vibrant, this is well-built, with a mix of dark berry, currant, plum and blueberry, broadening midpalate and ending with a long, lingering aftertaste where the fine-grained tannins capture and hold the flavors. Drink now through 2032. 836 cases made. - JL (Web Only - 2016) 94 Points - Wine Spectator Magazine
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2013 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer ot Kalon Vineyard~~California~~Napa~~Oakville
$449 per
The second perfect score I have given to a Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (the other was the 2002), the 2013 is as spectacular as his 2002 was. There are 638 cases of this massive wine that comes across like a first-growth Pauillac. Lead pencil shavings, cedar wood, blueberry and blackberry liqueur as well as hints of forest floor and tobacco leaf are all present in this fragrant, sumptuously textured, full-bodied, massively rich yet sensationally well-balanced Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a finish of well over 55 seconds. This is amazing work, and interestingly, I believe Hobbs was the first to offer a Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard designated Cabernet Sauvignon. - Robert M. Parker, Jr. (Mar 2016) 100 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is incredible with blackberry, oyster shell and iodine. Stones and graphite. Perfect nose. Full-bodied, yet so balanced and dense with terrific subtle fruit and a salty, savory finish. Like sea salt with raw wagyu meat. Perfect. Better in 2020, but amazing. - (Tuesday, September 13, 2016) 100 Points, Rank #29 Top 100 Wines of 2016 - James Suckling
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