Wine Reviews

91

The Critic 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($24)

Deep and shadowed, with espresso, black olive, and graphite. Along with these savory characteristics, it maintains a juicy flow of blackberry and toasted oak.

90

The Dreaming Tree 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($17)

Ripe dark fruit such as blueberry and blackberry, a bit of prune with green bell pepper, vanilla, black pepper, and dark chocolate. The richness of the palate of the cooked fruit complements the secondary flavors of baking spices and butterscotch.

91

The Dreaming Tree 2021 Crush Red Blend, California ($17)

This Zinfandel-based blend is a collaboration between Dave Matthews and winemaker Grayson Stewart. Aged in American oak, it also carries percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Petit Verdot. With a crushed velvet mouthfeel, this juicy red shows ripe strawberry, sandalwood, and red tea.

93

The Fifth Empire 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley ($100)

This wine makes a strong statement. With its deep, dense core, and pronounced aromatics, it shines with dark fruit notes. Blackberry, cassis, boysenberry, black licorice, dried herbs are robust and weighty on the palate, with well-integrated oak. Ripe, with alcohol tipping in at 15.1%, yet the structure of the wine can support it well; the tannins are evident, but soft, with an extended plush finish.

90

Tribute 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($17)

Teeth-grabbing notes of dusty plum are centered in layers of mocha java and graphite. Powerful, with taming notes of ripe blackberry and black olive.

92

Truth & Valor 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Santa Margarita Ranch, Paso Robles ($42)

Deep, dense, well-extracted, with good aromatic intensity and range. Black fruit and dark cherry, along with savory spice, roasted coffee notes, and dark chocolate. Plush, ample volume, weighty, round, well integrated oak, aged 16 months in French oak 50% new. Follows through well to the back palate with supple tannins. A wine with considerable structure, and well balanced.

90

Truth & Valor 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles ($30)

Deep, dense core with pronounced ripe black fruit, savory spice, and dark roast coffee notes. Robust, full bodied, solid, and concentrated, in a layered style with good palate weight. Moderately long finish with ripe tannins, developed well with some aeration.. Aged 18 months aged in oak, a combination of French and American, with 25% new oak.

95

Vultour 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa Valley ($120)

A blanket of creamy dark chocolate plum saturates the plate. This is a balanced beauty: poignant and deliciously delivering a curvaceous texture. Boysenberry, dusted violets, and oak spark on the finish with an echo of white pepper.