1985 Diamond Creek - Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (94 pts)

ℹ️ The wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Petit Verdot from the Volcanic Hill single vineyard in Diamond Mountain AVA of Napa Valley, California. The vines were planted in 1968 on ashy soil of the south-facing hillside estate vineyard. The wines were aged in 💯 new French oak.

👁 Deep ruby color with a pale garnet rim. Incredibly youthful appearance.

👃 An expressive nose that didn't show its true potential until the end of a long evening. The nose started with ripe to overripe black fruit and pen ink, but with air showed rosemary, lavender, pen ink, sweet baking spices, and dried leaves.

👄 The palate is dry, high acidity, medium+ brawny tannins, moderate alcohol (12.5%), and medium+ body. The palate had a ton of primary fruit that was ripe but not jammy. Quite dense and mouth coating but quickly cut by the beautiful acidity. Medium+ length finish of black fruit, garrigue, and integrated oak spice.

🔔 When will the Diamond Creek wines from the 80s be ready? Well, no one really knows exactly. If you get a well-stored bottle like this one, don't be afraid to decant it or open it a day in advance. The Volcanic Hill started as my least favorite wine of the trio, and by the end of the night, it was challenging the Dominus. These wines are almost impossible to catch at their peak due to their backward nature. Yes, yes, it was beautiful, but the patience required to enjoy these wines in the modern era is almost inconceivable. I haven't had a young Diamond Creek in ages, but it seems like I should be drinking their wines from the 70s now.

 1985 Diamond Creek - Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (94

🍷 What was the last wine where you thought wine critics missed the mark?

ℹ️ The wine is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, all from Napanook Vineyard in Napa Valley, California. The wine spent ~18 months in French oak barrels with 20% new oak. The wine was bottle aged an additional 2 years before being released.

👁 Deep garnet color with a pale rim. It was not showing as much age as I would have thought for 36 years of age.

👃 Very Express on the nose showing a combination of ripe and dried black cherry, blackcurrant, and blackberry. Loads of development showing sweet tobacco, well-worn leather jacket, cedar, and forest floor.

👄 The palate is dry, medium+ acidity, moderate ripe, chewy tannins, well-balanced alcohol (13.4%), and medium+ body. This wine is on another level on the palate with a silky smooth texture, wonderfully seamless from beginning to end, and a long lingering finish.

🔔 Only the third vintage of Dominus Estate, firing on all cylinders at 36 years of age. 1985 Dominus is now at its peak, but it should hang here for another decade. This wine blew away the top Châteaux in 1985 in our tasting, but 1985 is a better vintage in Napa than Bordeaux. This wine didn't see much critical acclaim when initially reviewed. To be fair, the wine must have been very tightly wound in its youth. Stunning wine! 👏👏👏

 1985 Dominus Estate (95 pts) @dominusestatewinery 🍷 What

If you had to pick one, which would it be? I think the Farr is the front runner for me… luckily I don’t have to pick one...What a line up! 🙌🍷🙌

 If you had to pick one, which would it be? I think the Farr

Woodlands “Russell” Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 is a masterpiece from West Australia. The colour sets the scene. Impenetrable with a dark, black red core and dark red rim. Aromas of ripe blackcurrant and liquorice send your tastebuds into overdrive. There’s a vanilla characteristic, perhaps imparted from the 19 month stay in medium toasted French oak barrels, which passes to reveal earthy spice flavours. On the palate the class continues as the generous tannins support the wine through to the finish of classic blackcurrant and mulberry goodness. This is a superb wine now, and will only get better with age.⁣ 🍇

 Woodlands “Russell” Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 is a

Three of my absolute favourites and Australia’s best made their way into my cellar today. Both the Wendouree and

 are built for the long haul, enjoyable now, but become outrageous with time. Serious stuff. .

The By Farr CG Chardonnay 2015, the first release of this wine, received fantastic reviews. I like my Chardonnay with a few years on it, so I’ll come back to it around 2020 to see what all the fuss was about!⁣ 🍷

 Three of my absolute favourites and Australia’s best made

Cooler days call for heart-warming wines... Enter Casella Cabernet Sauvignon 2012. Limestone Coast Cabernet doing the business with it's blackcurrant, plummy goodness, a very slight herby edge and fine tannin. All in all a decent drop for a Thursday! ⠀

 Cooler days call for heart-warming wines... Enter Casella

One of the best examples of Yarra Valley, cool climate, Cabernet Sauvignon I’ve had in a bloody long time! -

Made only in standout vintages Rob Dolan’s signature series are exceptional wines. This 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon has a nose of rich cassis, exotic spices, leather and just a touch of oak. Very balanced and expansive on the palate. Super elegant with dark fruit flavours intermingled with exotic spices, chewy tannin and toasty oak toward the finish. Cool climate Cabernet doing the business. There’s no substitute for experience, and Rob has buckets of it. Stunning!

 One of the best examples of Yarra Valley, cool climate

. The Black Label, first released in 1954, is made using the top 20-25% of Terra Rossa grown Cabernet Sauvignon each year. It’s a beautiful wine with a strong reputation for extended cellaring. I’ve enjoyed many over 15 years old and they’re fantastic. Have you tried it?  How do you rate it? ⁣

The 2012, still a baby, shows deep red / purple in the glass. On the nose it’s bright, intense, and deep, think cassis and dark fruits. Tasting is a pleasure, violets, dark fruits and a savory edge starting to emerge with firm tannins that’ll integrate well over time. Fantastic wine, buy while it’s still good value!! ⁣

 Quintessential #Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon from

I love finding wines at a price to quality ratio whereby you really feel like you’re getting value, a bargain perhaps. These wines from Best’s, the Great Western Range, fall firmly into the bargain category for me and all have exceed expectations. This Cabernet Sauvignon is full of blackberry, black currants and cassis, with gentle savoury notes of gumtree and blackberry bud. It has a slightly earthy character to it which I find very pleasant. It’s all so nicely packaged, structurally balanced, and enjoyable that it’s fun to drink. A fun wine is a good wine, and a good wine is worth drinking!⁠

 I love finding wines at a price to quality ratio whereby

Is this Australia’s best Cabernet Sauvignon? 11 years young and counting! Wynn’s John Riddoch is produced from the top 1% of available Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and only in exceptional vintages. Capable of living for decades if well looked after, resulting in depth, complexity and all round greatness. Sadly I’m not too sure if these 08s will last another decade... I’m getting pretty curious to see what all the fuss is about! -

 Is this Australia’s best Cabernet Sauvignon? 11 years young

Dowie Doole’s CSM is a Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz / Merlot blend that’ll brighten up any Monday! -

Cabernet dominant on the nose. Eucalyptus, mint, blackcurrant and cassis. Plenty of depth here. On the palate the Shiraz juiciness shines through with plums and spice. Fruity Merlot adds a sweetness to counter the nice tannic Cabernet Sauvignon. Very drinkable now, even better in a few more years. Love it 👍🏽🍷🙌

 Dowie Doole’s CSM is a Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz / Merlot

Pretty happy with this little line up! Ochota Barrels 186 Grenache 17 & Home 16, and Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon 1994, yes 1994! There's really only one question here... When is the Wendouree getting opened?! Suggestions welcome... ⁣

 Pretty happy with this little line up! Ochota Barrels 186

I’ve been so impressed with the wines from

 lately and this is no exception. Barossa Cabernet isn’t usually my cuppa but this is relaxed, full, and round with no pointy edges if that makes sense. It packs in the usual flavour suspects of cassis, blackberry and plums. Mint chocolate notes excite the palate and it’s all wrapped up smoothly with balanced acidity and tannin. It’s approachable as soon as you get the cap off, pop and pour no problem! -

 I’ve been so impressed with the wines from @atzescorner 

Parker Coonawarra Block 95 2016, a single block release of the classic Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) and Petit Verdot (25%). Not a wine you need to rush to open, this’ll chill for decades before you’ve missed the window! But, sometimes curiosity gets the better of me and I can’t help myself...

In a nutshell it’s elegant and super classy. Stunning dark fruit depth, black currants and cassis for days with spices, coffee grinds, and gum leaf all converging supremely. If you can resist, do so. The future is very bright for this wine!

 Parker Coonawarra Block 95 2016, a single block release of

Signed, sealed, delivered. This is THE best way to start the week. 12 of my favourite wines from

 that are destined to spend a long time on my "do not touch" list. What's on your list?⠀ ⠀ ⠀

 Signed, sealed, delivered. This is THE best way to start

Lake's Folly, top 5 most collected wines in Australia and easily a highlight of any trip to the Hunter (if they have any wine left to taste!). Production is low, generally sold on pre-release, and limited to two flagship wines. Roughly 1,000 cases of Chardonnay and 3,500 cases of a Cabernet blend are produced and are of exceptional quality. Both wines are elegant, complex, and fantastically age worthy. Easily one of my favourites from the region!⠀

 Lake's Folly, top 5 most collected wines in Australia and

2018 Errázuriz - MAX Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Cabernet Sauvignon from estate vineyards in the interior of the Aconcagua Valley of Chile. The vineyards' average vine age is 25 years old. The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, with 30% being new oak.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe to overripe blackberry, black plum, boysenberry, oak, tree bark, smoke, and earthy.

👄 The wine is dry, medium acidity, medium+ ripe tannins, medium+ alcohol (14%), and medium+ body. A medium- length finish of ripe black fruit and oak notes.

🔔 The MAX Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon is less than $20 and offers a lot of value for the price point. A good amount of fruit concentration, balanced alcohol, and enough oak to please the masses. This wine is an excellent selection for an affordable wine representing the grape, the vintage, and the region. I appreciate that Errázuriz makes a wide range of wines at a variety of price points.

 2018 Errázuriz - MAX Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon

ℹ️ This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot from the Apalta sub-region of Colchagua Valley, Chile. The grapes were hand-harvested, de-stemmed, and then crushed under their weight using only free-run juice. The wine was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels with 80% new oak.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of stewed blackberry, boysenberry, black plum, oak, cedar, vanilla, star anise, tomato leaf, violets, and balsamic reduction.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, high ripe tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and full body. A medium+ length finish of blackberry pie, vanilla, mocha, espresso, and star anise.

🔔 The 2017 Montes Alpha M is a big Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Apalta. The mix of black fruits and oak characteristics dominate the nose. The palate shows more depth showcasing some spice, floral, and herbal notes. Overall, this wine is dark and brooding but comes alive with time in the decanter. Alpha M should improve with more bottle age to allow the oak to integrate better. A solid wine that is definitely on the riper side of the fruit spectrum.

 2017 Montes - Alpha M (92 pts) @monteswines _usa ℹ️ This

Montes Wines Instagram Live Interview and Virtual Tasting with Aurelio Montes Jr.

🎙 Join the Instagram Live with Aurelio Montes Jr., the Chief Winemaker of Montes Wines, on November 11th at 5 pm PST / 10 pm Chile. Montes has been making wine in Chile since 1987. They were one of the early pioneers to establish vineyards in the Colchagua Valley. Their vineyards are in the Apalta region, regarded for the best terroirs of the Colchagua Valley. We will discuss how Bordeaux and Rhone grape varieties fair in this new world Mediterranean Climate.

🍷 We will taste three wines of  Montes from the 2017 vintage: Montes Alpha M, Montes Folly, and Montes Alpha Syrah. We will discuss what makes these wines unique. Please join the Instagram Live session and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories.

 Montes Wines Instagram Live Interview and Virtual Tasting

ℹ️ This wine is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Carmenere, and 14% Syrah from Millahue, in Cachapoal Valley, Chile. The soils are porous decomposed granite. This cuvée shows off Vik's interpretation of how Carmenere can play a significant role in a blend. The wine was aged for 23 months in French oak barrels, with ~60% being new.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe to stewed blackberry, black plum, boysenberry, dried leaves, white pepper, sweet tobacco, cedar, smoke, clove, cocoa powder, and lavender.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ ripe tannins, medium+ alcohol (14.1%), and full body. A medium+ length finish of stewed black fruits, tobacco, and clove.

🔔 La Piu Belle is warm, plush, and inviting. This wine opened up with 60 minutes in the decanter and showed quite a range of flavors on the nose. The palate is ripe and round. The oak is well integrated on the palate. Cabernet Sauvignon is the backbone of this wine. However, Carmenere and Syrah steal the show. Love the combination of peppery spice, dried herbs, and ripe plums. I don't often comment on bottle art, but I find it quite charming and would make a great conversation starter at a party whenever we can have those again. 😉

 2015 Vina VIK - La Piu Belle (92 pts) @vik _wine ℹ️ This

Don Melchor Instagram Live Interview and Virtual Tasting with Enrique Tirado

🎙 Join the Instagram Live with Enrique Tirado, Winemaker and General Manager of Viña Don Melchor, on August 27th at 5  PST / 8 pm EST. Don Melchor has been one of the icon wines of Chile since it was first produced in 1987 by Concha y Toro. In 2019, Concha y Toro spun off the Don Melchor brand to make an independent winery. Enrique Tirado has been the exclusive winemaker of this wine since 1997.

🍷Don Melchor is known for being a Cabernets Sauvignon wine highlighting the Terroir of Puente Alto, in Chile's upper Maipo Valley. While this wine is almost exclusively Cabernet Sauvignon, there is a lot of blending trials that take place for over 150 parcels before the final blend is determined. We will taste a few vintages of Don Melchor, including the 2017 current release. Please join the Instagram Live session and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories.

 Don Melchor Instagram Live Interview and Virtual Tasting

ℹ️ This wine is a Bordeaux Blend from Napa Valley, California. The blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 3% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. 2001 is the first vintage for Winemaker, Michael Silacci. After harvest, the grapes macerated on their skins for 32 days. The wine was aged for 17 months in new French oak·

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of blackcurrant jam, black cherry, black plum, dried leaves, oak, cedar, tobacco, dried herbs, thyme, semi-sweet cocoa powder, and nutmeg·

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ ripe tannins, high alcohol (14.2%), and medium+ body. A medium+ length finish of dark chocolate covered cherries and nutmeg spice·

🔔 This wine is not showing much age with its appearance or on the palate. It is bold and ripe, rather fruit-forward. The nose is quite charming, and the mouthfeel is silky. I will say that the palate comes across as sweeter and riper than the nose. Still a healthy amount of tannins and good acidity for structure, that should continue to hold for some time. I would have expected a bit more development, but this is still very fruit-driven. Overall, a riper vintage and quite extracted, but not bombastic like some wines in Napa. I preferred some of the other vintages in the lineup ·

 2001 Opus One - Napa Valley (92 pts) @opusonewinery  · ℹ️

Mayacamas Instagram Live Interview and Virtual Tasting

🎙 On Wednesday, May 20th, at 5:00 pm  PST

 We will be discussing what makes Mayacamas wines so age-worthy. Mayacamas has been making long-lived wines since 1889. The wines of Mayacamas are so old school that they are now the new school and being rediscovered by another generation·

🍷 We will be tasting the 2007 Mayacamas Chardonnay and the 2004 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon. The iconic label has not changed since the 1940s. The wines rarely see new oak and almost exclusively aged in large neutral casks·

 Mayacamas Instagram Live Interview and Virtual Tasting 🎙 On

2017 Quintessa -  Rutherford Red (93 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯estate fruit from the Quintessa estate in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California. The wine is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Carmenére, and 1% Petit Verdot. The property has been farmed organically since it started in 1989 and switched to Biodynamic Viticulture in 1996. The 130 acres of vines are broken down into 26 blocks matching the contour of the land. Blocks are broken down even further when harvest decisions are made and vinified separately. Hand-harvested, native yeast fermentation, and an average of 22 days of skin maceration. Aged for 22 months on French oak barrels with 76% new oak. Through blind tasting trials, the wines are blended to form one estate wine·

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe blackberry, black cherry, oak, smoke, cedar, spearmint, lavender, thyme, dark chocolate, vanilla, and clove·

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, high grippy ripe tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and full body. A medium+ length finish of blackberry, cocoa powder, and baking spices·

🔔 This wine was tasted with the winemaker, Rebekah Wineburg, during an Instagram Live session. The 2017 vintage is quite good now, but with additional cellaring, it will improve. The oak is a bit more obvious than the 2016 at the moment, potentially due to a slightly higher percentage of new oak, differences in fruit concentration of the vintage, or simply an extra year in bottle. Regardless this will integrate with time. Extremely well made and built to last, if you can wait your patience will be rewarded·

 2017 Quintessa -  Rutherford Red (93 pts) @quintessawinery

📝 I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of international grape varieties in Italy. However, I have always been impressed by the quality of the major Super Tuscans·

Do you think their time has past or is this still a unique expression of Tuscan terroir❓·

 Which Super Tuscan is your favorite❓· 📝 I have to admit

ℹ️ This wine is a Bordeaux Blend from Napa Valley, California. The blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec. 2005 was the most extended growing cycle for the Opus One vineyards with a prolonged harvest that ended in November.  After harvest, the grapes macerated on their skins for 29 days. The wine was aged for 18 months in new French oak·

👃 Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of black cherry preserves, black plum, blackberry, blackcurrant, oak, cedar, clove, vanilla, rose stems, thyme, espresso grounds, and cardamom·

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ fine-grained tannins, high alcohol (14%), and full body. Extremely layered on the palate. A long length finish of myriad of black fruit, baking spices, and thyme·

🔔 The 2005 vintage is still not at peak in my opinion, while delicious and layered it still has room to improve with additional cellaring. The fruit is ripe without being overtly sweet. The clove and cardamom spice from the oak add a lovely component and will continue to integrate with time, making it even more seemless. The silkiness and freshness on the palate show the real elegance of this wine. Well done👏·

 2005 Opus One - Napa Valley (94 pts) @opusonewinery  · ℹ️

1997 Burgess - Vintage Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (88 pts)

- Medium+ ruby core with a garnet rim. Medium intensity on the nose. Blackberry, Blackcurrant, coffee grounds, cedar, Blackcurrant leaf, and amaretto on the nose. Medium+ acidity, medium ripe and velvety tannins, medium- alcohol, and medium+ body. Cedar, smoke, and coffee stand out on the front palate. Dark cherry, blackberry, and Blackcurrant follow. Herbal tea, Blackcurrant leaf, and tobacco on the medium+ length finish. Good acidity, alcohol kept in check during a hot year (13%), and nice velvety texture make this a very well made wine. I am betting this was fairly okay when bottled, the oak notes of cedar and coffee are almost overpowering the fruit, but barely stay in balance. This will continue to age, but may not be everyone's cup of tea.

 1997 Burgess - Vintage Selection Napa Valley Cabernet

2015 Heitz Cellar - Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (91 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California. These grapes come from two estate vineyards in St. Helena, the Only One Vineyard, and the Spring Valley Vineyard. The vineyards are certified organic. The grapes were harvested early, presumably to preserve acidity. The Heitz Cellars' aging regimen is unique, even with this bottle as the entry point to the Heitz Cellar style taking four years before release. The wine aged in a combination of large oak vats and French oak barrels for three years, followed by a year in bottle.

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe and candied black currant, raspberry, blackberry, oak, sawdust, clove, violet, menthol, and oregano.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium ripe tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and medium+ body. The palate is more stewed fruit with a bit more oak spice and smooth, ripe tannins. A medium length finish of black and red fruit, clove, and menthol.

🔔 This wine is a textbook Napa Cabernet from an iconic Producer. I am always impressed by how much cellaring this wine gets even when it is only the starting point of the Heitz Cellar lineup. The nose has some high toned fruit aromas on the verge of candied. The palate reigns that in with bright acidity and forgiving tannins. The oak influence is noticeable, but very well integrated across the board. The slight herbal menthol and oregano notes are refreshing. No part of this wine is massive. I would call it plush and charming.

 2015 Heitz Cellar - Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (91 pts)

2015 Beringer Vineyards - Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (92 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot from vineyards across the Napa Valley, California. The wine consists of grapes from the following Napa appellations: 62% Howell Mountain, 28% St Helena, 6% Spring Mountain, and 4% Mount Veeder.  The wine is aged for 20 months in French oak barrels with 80% new oak.  The wine is bottle-aged for another 12 months before release.

👁 Deep ruby color with heavy staining.

👃 Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of stewed blackberry, boysenberry, black plum, oak, smoke, vanilla, whole cream, licorice, clove, cardamom, and mocha.

👄 The wine is dry, high acidity, high ripe spicy tannins, high alcohol (15.2%), and full body. Extremely dark and dense on the palate with a lot of baking spices. A medium+ length finish of reduced black fruit, oak spices, and mocha.

🔔 Beringer Private Reserve has always been one of those wines that don't necessarily get the credit it is due. Possibly due to the size of the broader Beringer portfolio. The 2015 is loaded with fruit concentration and structure built to age. The oak spices take over the palate, although the fruit does manage to peak through to let you know it is there. The finish is long, but the alcohol becomes more prevalent at the tail end. This wine will improve with age, but at the moment, it is dense and chewy. I would at least wait 5-7 years before opening. This wine is still undervalued!

 2015 Beringer Vineyards - Private Reserve Cabernet

2013 Hall - Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (91 pts)

- Very solid bottle of Napa Cab. Good balance of fruit, acidity, and moderate oak flavors. In some ways I prefer this to the single vineyard bottlings.

 2013 Hall - Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (91 pts)

Interview with Braiden Albrecht the Winemaker at Mayacamas. We discussed the 2007 Mayacamas Chardonnay and the 2004 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon. The conversation covered how the wines are made to be age-worthy for such long drinking windows. We discussed the location of the winery on Mt. Veeder which is a dormant volcano.

 Interview with Braiden Albrecht the Winemaker at Mayacamas

Getting ready for the Opus One vertical tasting. Wines are all poured. Ready to start.