Buccella Cuvee Katrina Eileen Napa Valley 2017

Buccella Merlot Napa Valley is made from  94% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Our Merlot fruit comes from two blocks atop a knoll in the famed Hyde Vineyard, where harvests typically yield less than two tons per acre. It’s a youthful wine that’s invitingly approachable, while still offering the richness and decadence we love.

Our Merlot is fresh and vibrant, yet also lavishly textured and elegantly fine-tuned. With a swirl of the glass, you are enticed with aromas of sumptuous ripe plums, warm baking spices and a touch of sweet vanilla. Savory and structured, flavors ooze with raspberry jam, hazelnut spread and concentrated plum. Immersed in lush red fruits, each sip of this voluptuous wine hits pleasantly at the beautiful round mid-palate, then evenly dissipates leaving you yearning for another taste.

Displaying full-bodied opulence, density, depth, structure, and complex aromas and flavors, our cabernet sauvignon is cultivated from some of the most sought after vineyards in Napa Valley. 

Review:

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a gorgeous, racy wine that captures all the best the vintage has to offer within its peer group. Juicy red and purplish berry fruit, lavender and mint give the 2017 striking freshness and nuance to match its mid-weight personality. This is such a pretty and accessible wine. I would prefer to drink it over the next decade or so.

-- Antonio Galloni 92 Points

Well-built, with the vintage's warm and forward plum and blackberry preserve profile leading the way, while lush melted licorice and sweet spice accents fill in on the finish. A purely fruit-driven version, but the balance is there. Drink now through 2029. 4,330 cases made. 

-Wine Spectator 92 Points

Silver Oak Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from   80.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.6% Merlot, 2.9% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 0.7% Malbec.

The 2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is ruby in color with notes of blackberry, blueberry, roasted coffee beans, coriander and a hint of nutmeg. Smooth upon entry, this wine is broad and plush on the mid-palate. It has an elegant density throughout and a long, generous finish.

 Review:

This is a big upgrade in finesse and clarity to such a popular, premium cabernet from Napa. It shows lots of blackberry, tar, cedar and oak-tree aromas that follow through to a full yet toned palate of fine, integrated tannins and a vivid finish. Owner David Duncan explained that the American oak they use in the wine for aging now comes 100% from their own barrel-making facilities, which tones down the vanilla character in the wine. Really impressive and delicious. It’s a joy to drink now, but can age.

-James Suckling 96 Points

Black Stallion Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Release is made from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The winery takes its name from a major equestrian area that once occupied the grounds. Its calling card is Cabernet Sauvignon, made in a classic Napa Valley style that offers richness and finesse. While single-vineyard wines are occasionally bottled, most Black Stallion wines are made from small lots cherry-picked from the valley’s disparate winegrowing zones. These are then painstakingly blended to create luxurious, unforgettable wines that capture the depth and brilliance of Napa Valley’s diverse growing regions.

This elegant wine begins with aromas of blackberry, black cherry and sandal wood. Flavors of black currant, fennel and lavender are followed by soft acidity and spiced fruit finish. Pairs well with hearty meat dishes. For a cheese selection, Comte, aged Gouda and Point Reyes Original Blue are suggested.

Review:

With lifted acidity, this wine takes on a mineral aspect of crushed rock and iron, the tannins substantial in weight and force. Textured, the wine is robustly ripe in black cherry, plum and currant, with a note of dill that lingers from the oak.

-Wine Enthusiast 90 Points

Mascot is a small-production label founded by Will Harlan in Napa Valley. The wines under this label are made from the younger vines of Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory, but The Mascot bottles share an exclusive preview at the development of their estates. Founded as an initial experiment to see what the young vines were capable of producing, the wines were initially only shared with close friends and family. By 2008, Will officially released the first vintage to the public since production had increased significantly. They create just one wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon, and the bottle is aged for five years before release. Assembled into a single, youthful expression, this wine shares a glimpse into the evolution and pedigree of its parent estates.

Tasting Notes:

Aromas suggest cool, fragrant mists, an intermingling of bright fruit with gentle florals, and traces of fresh, wild herbs. A sip reveals a polished core—a soft, inviting texture bonded by strength. These playful curves resolve towards an elevated finish, as well as light, colorful notes that dance on the palate—and entice the imagination.