2011 Accolades

Wine and Spirits | December 2011 [ PDF ]

From a 16-acre cabernet vineyard on a knoll in northern Yountville, this wine is black in its mature fruit character but not pushed toward hyper extraction. Instead, it comes across as tense, with smoky scents of black tea in its oak tannins and bright, plumy fruit. Decant it for a steak.

Wine and Spirits | December 2011 [ PDF ]

The Pelissa family named this brand after the property they purchased in 1938, part of George Yount’s original land grant. This wine includes fruit from that Yountville vineyard as well as the family’s Rock Cairn Vineyard in Oakville. It’s a lean and sophisticated cabernet with dark plum flavors and sweet scents of cedar. The tannins are black as coal, needing age to meld into the wine.

Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide | August 2011 [ PDF ]

This is a light-bodied, somewhat simple Pinot Noir. It’s not quite ripe, with some vegetal flavors, but there’s enough raspberry and cherry fruit to make it polished and the mouthfeel is nice and silky. - S.H.

Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide | August 2011 [ PDF ]

A dramatic wine, rich and sweet in blackberry and cassis flavors, with elaborate oak and a reminder of its earthly origins in a salty tang of green olives. Impressive, especially after decanting, even
though it’s a little obvious in its appeal. - S.H.

Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide | August 2011 [ PDF ]

Pricey, but flashy, a Cabernet to pour into your best crystal stemware. It’s elaborate in blackberry, cassis and oak flavors, with a tug of minerals. Seems too soft to develop in the bottle, so drink now and through 2014. –S.H.

justwinepoints.com | July 2011 [ PDF ]

From the moment you smell this wine you know its going to be great. Beautiful aromas of blackberry, cherry, plum, cassis and oak are supplemented by pepper-spice, caramel and light tobacco. Rich, smooth and sexy on the palate, this cab is wonderfully balanced, offers full- bodied flavors, and seems to melt in your mouth in its long, lingering finish. Superb!

justwinepoints.com | April 2011 [ PDF ]

Beautiful aromas of strawberries, dried cranberries, citrus (grapefruit) and a hint of watermelon. Crisp and refreshing, this dry Rose delivers wonderful layers of ripe, sweet red berries and a decent amount of spice in its long, lingering finish. Superb!

justwinepoints.com | April 2011 [ PDF ]

A full nose of black fruit and oak followed by tobacco, caramel, spice, cassis and coffee. This is a medium-bodied cab, offering nice, ripe black fruit flavors surrounded by cassis, caramel and spice, finishing with smooth, round tannins.

justwinepoints.com | April 2011 [ PDF ]

Inviting aromas of blackberry, cherry, plum and anise, with hints of spice and oak. On the palate this wine leans toward the firm side, with forward fruit and some spice, then tapers-off into a smooth, long-lingering finish.

justwinepoints.com | April 2011 [ PDF ]

Opens with heavy blackberry, black raspberry, black cherry and oak aromas, with undertones of anise, pepper-spice, licorice, vanilla and chocolate. Same elements follow through on the palate, in a well-balanced, full-bodied wine that fills the mouth all the way through the nice round-tannin finish.