C A B E R N E T . S A U V I G N O N 98 CHATOM VINEYARDS 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Calaveras County $26 (tasted 2/3/15) 99 HERENCIA 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $65 You know from the moment you smell this wine that it’s going to be a phenomenal experience. Gorgeous aromas of blackberry, cherry, raspberry, plum, light spice and hints of dark coffee, black tea and licorice, all complemented by sweet oak. On the palate this is an absolutely stunning wine: rich fruit flavors enveloped in a smooth, round, sexy body leading to a wonderfully long, long, round-tannin finish. An exceptional wine at any price! 99 HOWELL MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain - Napa Valley $75 98 CHATOM VINEYARDS 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Calaveras County $26 (tasted 2/3/15) 98 FOYT 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon No. 77; Mount Veeder - Napa Valley $85 We have to repeat ourselves from the Meadowcroft 2011 Mt. Veeder cab: Imagine all of the best qualities from this appellation buddle-up into one cab and that’s what this wine is. Beautiful black (including cassis) and red fruit in just enough bay/eucalyptus, olives, oak and hints of earth. Solid yet soft, rugged yet smooth, this is a joy from nose to stomach. Excellent! (tasted 3/4/15) 98 GHOST BLOCK 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard; Yountville - Napa Valley $100 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! 98 MEADOWCROFT 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder - Napa Valley $75 Imagine all of the best qualities from this appellation buddle-up into one cab and that’s what this wine is. Beautiful black (including cassis) and red fruit in just enough bay/eucalyptus, olives, oak and hints of earth. Solid yet soft, rugged yet smooth, this is a joy from nose to stomach. Excellent! (tasted 3/4/15) 98 MEADOWCROFT 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County $36 Beautiful blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, currant, spice, vanilla and oak. On the palate, this is a rich, superbly-crafted wine with lots of character. It’s spicy and bold yet smooth and round, and the finish is wonderfully long and round. 98 OWL RIDGE 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $28 (tasted 11/17/19) 98 SOL ROUGE 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hills - Lake County $32 98 SOL ROUGE 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Reserve - Napa/Lake Counties $100 Doesn’t get much better than this. Beautiful rich aromas of blackberry, black currant, dark raspberry and plum, with sides of clove, coffee/black tea and oak. Smooth and elegant, this concentrated wine fills the mouth with abundant flavor, firm tannins and a nice long, lingering spicy finish. 98 SOL ROUGE 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $75 Distinct Napa valley cab nose of black and red fruits, bits of anise and licorice, and the balance of spice and oak. On the palate this is a very elegant wine, offering rich, round flavors leading to a long, lingering finish. Excellent! 98 THE WINERY SF 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain $150 You know from the first whiff that this wine is going to be a stunner. Layers of blackberry, black currant, nuts, plum and cherry/black cherry are embraced by blueberry, licorice, chocolate and oak. This is a superbly-crafted, full-bodied wine that just never stops giving on the palate. A bit tight now, a few years will only make it better. 98 VENGE 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve - Oakville-Napa Valley $125 You know from the moment you first smell this wine that it’s going to be a stunner. Layers of blackberry, black currant, herbs, plum and cherry/black cherry are embraced by blueberry, licorice, chocolate and oak. This superbly-crafted, full-bodied wine just never stops giving on the palate. And the best part is the wonderfully-long, round tannin finish. That’s what makes this wine distinctive! 97 CLONE 5 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley $24 (tasted 10/10/22) 97 FOYT 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder - Napa Valley $75 A pretty nose of blackberry, currant, cherry and dark raspberry enveloped in spice, vanilla and oak. With time this will be a great wine, but right now (12/21/12) it’s still a bit closed and chewy. It’s going to be a great wine, and needs to be decanted if opened soon. 97 HAMILTON BRANCH 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley $28 (tasted 5/8/22) 97 HINDSIGHT 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain - Napa Valley $75 This is what you expect from a Howell Mountain cab. It’s bold, spicy, rich and flavorful, showcasing black and red fruit flavors, some spice/clove notes, minerals, dust and some chocolate and oak to finish. At first it’s a bit tight, but if you allow it to breathe you won’t be disappointed! (tasted 12/5/16) 97 HOWELL MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain - Napa Valley $75 97 HUDSON SHAH 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley $14 (tasted 9/4/16) 97 MCNAB FAMILY RESERVE 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Largo - Mendocino County $30 97 MCNAB FAMILY RESERVE 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $40 97 MCNAB FAMILY RESERVE 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Trio - Napa Valley/Sonoma County/Mendocino County $40 97 MEADOWCROFT 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley College Vineyard - Napa Valley $40 A lot like the Foyt cab from this vineyard, but with a little more stuffing. Pretty red and black fruit flavors, with the addition of plum and a bit of cola, in a semi-spicy body leading to a smooth, round-tannin finish. Like the Foyt, beautiful from sniff to swallow! (tasted 3/4/15) 97 MICHEL-SCHLUMBERGER 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley $110/magnum (tasted 8/15/15) 97 MUMBO JUMBO 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hills - Lake County $20 (tasted 10/8/24) 97 PLANK WALKER 2012 Meritage Red Wine - Napa Valley $35 Beautiful aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plum, licorice and raspberry, with complements of spice, chocolate, vanilla and toasted/smoky oak, with a dash of tobacco and black tea. On the palate this is a smooth, sexy wine delivering all of the aromas in a plush, well-balanced, flavorful body, leading to a finish steeped a bit heavy in oak but there's just enough fruit to pull it off. Wonderful! (tasted 11/9/15) 97 ROBLAR 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley $110/magnum (tasted 8/15/15) 97 SLINGSHOT 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $20 97 SLINGSHOT 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $20 97 SOL ROUGE 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $75 97 SOL ROUGE 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve; Mayacamas Mountains - Napa Valley $100 Beautiful rich aromas of blackberry, black currant, dark raspberry and plum, with sides of clove, coffee/black tea and oak. Smooth and elegant, this wine fills the mouth with abundant flavor, firm tannins and a nice lingering finish. 97 THE WINERY SF 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain $150 Much like the Diamond Mountain, this is a pretty intense wine with layers of blackberry, black currant, nuts, plum and cherry/black cherry are embraced by blueberry, licorice, chocolate and oak. Well-balanced and a mouthful, the finish is a bit sticky, so decant or let it breathe a bit before drinking. 97 VALLEY OF THE MOON 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County $55 (tasted 10/20/22) 97 VENGE 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard - Napa Valley $76 The nose is a little shy at first, but once this wine opens it displays wonderful black and red fruit aromas, complimented by a little spice and just the right amount of oak. The palate delivers the promise of the nose, offering a soundly-structured, full-bodied wine rich in flavors and ending in a well-balanced finish. 96 BOUND + DETERMINED 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $50 (tasted 11/18/19) 96 BRUTOCAO 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Contento Vineyard - Mendocino $24 Pretty aromas of cherry, blackberry, raspberry, cassis/anise, chocolate, vanilla and oak. Still a bit tight on the palate, experience dictates that this wine will get better with a little age. The rich fruit and secondary characteristics are nicely balanced, the body is a little firm but flavorful, and the finish is a little chewy but full. Decant now or age a year or so. 96 BURNSIDE ROAD 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hills - Lake County $20 (tasted 2/6/20) 96 EDUCATED GUESS 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa County $25 (tasted 9/13/17) 96 FOYT 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon No. 14; Napa Valley College Vineyard - Napa Valley $40 This is a wine that you know the instant that you smell it it’s gonna be tasty and smooth. Pretty red and black fruit flavors in a semi-spicy body leading to a smooth, round-tannin finish. Beautiful from sniff to swallow! (tasted 3/4/15) 96 GHOST WALTZ 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County $38 96 HAYWOOD 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Los Chamizal Vineyards - Sonoma Valley $54 96 HINDSIGHT 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Calistoga - Napa Valley $65 This wine is a bit lighter in style than the others produced by Hindsight, but it packs just as much flavors and character. Look for dark cherry, blackberry, raspberry, brambleberry, roasted coffee, black tea, cedar, leather and oak. It’s all there! A tad chewy at this point, but this wine is definitely tasty, providing a wonderful spicy kick on the finish. (tasted 12/5/16) 96 HINDSIGHT 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $40 Beautiful aromas of cherry, black raspberry, blackberry and dark plum complemented by vanilla, chocolate and oak. This wine comes together wonderfully on the palate, delivering everything that the nose promises in a rich, round body that leads to a slightly tight/chewy finish. Let this wine breathe. (tasted 12/5/16) 96 HUDSON SHAH 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley $14 Pretty dark cherry, blackberry, raspberry and ripe plum, with complements of spice, light floral elements, earth/minerals and a decent dose of oak. This is a really nice, easy-drinking cabernet, well-balanced, smooth, round body delivering everything expected, leading to a long, spicy, lingering finish. At this price buy it by the case! (tasted 6/30/17) 96 HYPOTHESIS 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $50 (tasted 8/11/17) 96 HYPOTHESIS 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $40 96 MAGITO 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District - Napa Valley $45 Some really pretty blackberry, black cherry, plum, raspberry and cassis aromas mingle with herbal elements, vanilla and oak. On the palate this is a well-balanced, soft but powerful cab, with rich black and red fruit flavors leading to a lingering vanilla and oak finish. The finish is a bit sticky now but with a little aeration it should smooth out. (tasted 6/22/15) 96 MCNAB FAMILY RESERVE 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley $40 96 MCNAB FAMILY RESERVE 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Largo - Mendocino County $40 96 OWL RIDGE 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County $18 (tasted 11/17/19) 96 PEDRONCELLI 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Three Vineyards - Dry Creek Valley $19 (tasted 9/28/15) 96 R&B CELLARS 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve; Lyric of the Vine - Napa Valley $50 Beautiful aromas of blackberry, cherry, black raspberry, plum and saddle leather, with hints of mint/eucalyptus, pepper and oak. Holding up very well for its age, this cab has a nice spicy character, is well balanced and smooth all the way through the long, round, lingering finish. (tasted 3/16/13) 96 REAPER 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles $25 (tasted 10/26/15) 96 RUDY 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $30 96 WISE VILLA WINERY 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Sierra Foothills $39.47 Forward blackberry, raspberry, mulberry and black cherry, with traces of licorice, black tea, leather, herbs and toasted oak. Still young, this wine this wine is a bit firm, but packed with flavor and a nice spiciness that lingers on the finish. 96 WISE VILLA WINERY 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Winemaker's Reserve - Sierra Foothills $43.47 Mature fruit consisting of blackberry, raspberry, mulberry and black cherry, with complements of vanilla, spice and toasty oak. Nicely balanced, smooth body, everything comes together in a nice, long lingering finish. 95 AIRFIELD 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Yakima Valley $18 (tasted 11/2/16) 95 ANCIENT PEAKS 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles $22 (tasted on 2/5/18) 95 BALLARD LANE 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles $12 (tasted 8/5/18) 95 BELLARINA (EHRET) 2009 Meritage Knight's Valley $22 Spicy blackberry, raspberry and blueberry aromas with pepper spice, plum, chocolate and oak supplements. The palate is lively and spicy, with juicy fruit flavors enveloped in a sweet pepper spice, leading to a nice, round-tannin finish. 95 BON ANNO 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $25 (tasted 6/24/16) 95 BRUTOCAO 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Contento Vineyard - Mendocino $22 Layers of blackberry, black cherry, raspberry and cola supplemented with earth tones, spice, vanilla and oak. The aromas follow through on the palate, providing a concentrated wine that needs a little time to soften on the finish. 95 BURNSIDE ROAD 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley $20 (tasted 1/26/20) 95 DIAMOND OAKS WINERY 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $25 Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, raspberry and a good deal of oak, chocolate and vanilla. The flavors follow suit, adding hints of pepper spice, anise and roasted coffee. Although a bit heavy handed in the winemaking, this is a delightful wine, especially for the price. (This is a second label of Diamond Oaks Winery.) 95 EDUCATED GUESS 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $20 95 ESTATE CELLARS 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast $16 (tasted 9/10/21) 95 FREELANDER 2016 District One Cabernet Sauvignon California $14 (tasted 8/27/17) 95 HUDSON SHAH 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley $14 (tasted 1/14/16) 95 HYPOTHESIS 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $40 95 KRUTZ FAMILY CELLARS 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard - Napa Valley $55 (tasted 3/29/18) 95 LEVENDI WINERY 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Symphonia - Napa Valley $50 (tasted 12/20/16) 95 MAGNOLIA (KRUTZ FAMILY CELLARS) 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County $25 (tasted 3/29/18) 95 MEADOWCROFT 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder - Napa Valley $60 A pretty nose of blackberry, currant, cherry and dark raspberry enveloped in spice, vanilla and oak. With time this will be a great wine, but right now (12/21/12) it’s still tight, chalky and chewy. Still, it’s a great wine and should be decanted if you have no patience. 95 MICHAEL SCOTT 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $56 (tasted 6/27/17) 95 MOSSBACK 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Chalk Hill $25 Inviting aromas of black cherry, blackberry, raspberry, plum and blueberry play with leather, cigar, black tea and oak. The palate delivers the same with a light dustiness blanketing the rich fruit. Still, this is a bigger wine with layers of flavors leading to a nice, long, lingering finish. (tasted 1/6/17) 95 OAKVILLE WINERY 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville - Napa Valley $45 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. 95 PEDRONCELLI 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Three Vineyards - Dry Creek Valley $17 95 POMAR JUNCTION VINEYARD 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles $34 95 PROVERBIAL 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley $28 95 RUDY 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $30 95 SAN MARCOS CREEK 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Paso Robles $35 95 SEBASTOPOL OAKS 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon California $15 (tasted 10/15/20) 95 SECRET CAVE 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Central Coast $20 (tasted 11/20/21) 95 SOL ROUGE 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve; Mayacamas Mountains - Napa Valley $60 Rich, concentrated aromas of blackberry, black currant, dark raspberry and plum, with sides of clove, coffee/black tea and oak. Packed tight, this wine fills the mouth with abundant flavor, firm tannins and a nice lingering finish. Best to decant when young. 95 TARAVAL 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $28 (tasted 11/17/19) 95 THE VINECRAFTER 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon South Africa $10 (tasted 9/25/18) 95 VALLEY LEGEND 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $29 Inviting nose of blackberry, black cherry, plum, raspberry and cassis, complemented by light vanilla and oak. The palate is a little sticky currently, but the flavors and secondary characteristics come through wonderfully, leading to a tight but flavorful finish. Let breath or decant now. 95 VENGE 2008 "Silencieux" Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $48 A blend of mountain, bench land and valley floor grapes, this wine demonstrates how a talented winemaker can artfully blend to optimize each component. With a pretty nose of wild blackberry, cherry, raspberry, light spice and a hint of cola, this wine expands beautifully on the palate, leaving you with a long, lingering, round-tannin finish. 94 BODEGA GRATIA 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza - Argentina $20 (tasted 3/23/17) 94 BURNSIDE ROAD 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley $28 (tasted 5/8/22) 94 EHRET 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Knight's Valley $34 Blackberry, black cherry, plum and raspberry aromas, complemented with sweet spices, black tea, chocolate, cola and oak. The palate is rich and round, presenting nice, ripe fruit flavors leading to a very nice long, lingering, round-tannin finish. 94 GIVING KITCHEN 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $35 (tasted 11/11/21) 94 JOLIESSE 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon California $12 (tasted 2/27/20) 94 LIMITED LOT 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $20 Classic Napa cab aromas of cherry, blackberry, briar, black raspberry, and light cassis with a good dose of vanilla and oak. On the palate, this wine is initially smooth and velvety, delivering the flavors expected, then becomes a bit hard and chewy/chalky on a short finish. We let the wine sit a few days to see if it would round out, but it stayed hard on the finish. Maybe with some years, this wine will mellow out. If so, it’ll be a real beauty for this price. (tasted 9/29/23) 94 RUDY 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $30 (tasted 6/28/15) 94 SEBASTOPOL OAKS 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon California $15 (tasted 3/22/20) 94 VINA ROBLES 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - Paso Robles $24 A nose full of dark fruit: blackberry, black currant, licorice, black cherry and plum, with complements of roasted coffee, tobacco and oak. This wine is packed full of flavor, but is a little stiff/angular, and needs some air or time to soften it up. If you let it breath or cellar it for a year or so it should blossom nicely. 93 CARSON SCOTT 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon California $18 (tasted 10/10/22) 93 EDUCATED GUESS 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $25 (tasted 8/11/17) 93 EDUCATED GUESS 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $20 93 GHOST BLOCK 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate; Oakville - Napa Valley $60 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. 93 IRONSIDE 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon California $20 93 MAGNOLIA (KRUTZ FAMILY CELLARS) 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $20 (tasted 2/10/15) 93 MATCHBOOK 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Dunnigan Hills $15 (tasted on 7/10/17) 93 SEBASTOPOL OAKS 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon California $18 (tasted 10/11/22) 93 SEBASTOPOL HILLS 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon California $18 (tasted 1/15/22) 92 BURNSIDE ROAD 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hills - Lake County $20 (tasted 6/25/18) 92 CABLE CAR 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon California $10 92 FREELANDER 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon District One $14 (tasted on 8/10/20) 92 INSATIABLE 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon California $10 92 KENNEDY SHAH 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley $20 Nice aromas of black cherry, blackberry, cassis, red plum and raspberry with complements of light minerals, vanilla and oak. This wine starts out smooth on the palate offering nice, generous fruit, but gets caught up in a sticky, chewy/chalky finish. May soften with time, but hard to tell tat this point. (tasted 6/5/18) 92 KUKERI 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder - Napa Valley $89 A trypical Mt. Veeder nose of blackberry, black cherry, raspberry and cassis mingles with bay/eucalyptus, black and green olives, light earth and oak. This is a rather earthy wine, with the fruit and seconds taking the back seat. If you enjoy more earth in your wines (e.g. European wines) than this is for you. (tasted 3/4/15) 92 RUDY 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast $30 (tasted 2/14/17) 91 CLONE 5 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley $24 (tasted 10/30/21) 91 CURRENCY 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve; Lodi - California $14 (tasted 7/7/20) 91 CYCLES GLADIATOR 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon California $13 (tasted 9/10/21) 91 FITZ ROY 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Maule Valley - Chile $10 (tasted 2/23/21) 91 JOHN'S VINEYARD 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast $15 (tasted 10/21/20) 91 MICHEL-SCHLUMBERGER 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County $20 This wine definitely needs some time to open and soften up. Aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, dark raspberry and plum are complemented by vanilla, chocolate and oak. On the palate, this wine is a bit angular, tight, chewy and chalky, although you can see that the fruit and light spice qualities are aching to get out. Time will help this wine a lot! (tasted 7/30/18) 91 RARE PLATINUM 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast $14 (tasted 5/18/20) 91 THE WINERY SF 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast $25 90 BURNSIDE ROAD 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hills - Lake County $24 (tasted 5/8/22) 90 CURRENCY 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Vinted in Napa Valley - California $12 (tasted 11/4/18) 90 EDUCATED GUESS 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa County $25 (tasted 11/18/19) 90 JOLIESSE 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon California $13 As with most California-appellation wines, this is a straightforward, fruit-driven, balanced wine that needs a little umph but gets the job done. (tasted 2/17/19) 90 LIONS RIDGE 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Central Coast $25 (tasted 6/7/23) 90 LIONS RIDGE 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Central Coast $25 (tasted 7/1/22) 90 MICHEL-SCHLUMBERGER 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon La Cime - Dry Creek Valley $30 The nose offers black berry, black currant/cassis, black cherry and dark raspberry aromas with vanilla and oak following. This wine is really tight right now. It did open a bit overnight, but this puppy needs some time or serious decanting. It wants to be a beautiful wine, it just needs to mature a bit. (tasted 3/28/15) 90 NAPA BY N.A.P.A. 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $25 (tasted 5/18/20) 90 R&B CELLARS 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Napa Valley $50 Aromas of mature blackberry, black cherry, plum and currant, with tea, chocolate and oak following. If you enjoy aged cabs, this wine’s for you. Still maintaining it’s dark fruit core, this cab is nicely balanced, well-structured, and lingers on the palate in a beautiful smooth finish. (Tasted 2/28/12) 90 VINA AMALIA (CARLOS BASSO) 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva; Single Vineyard; Valle de Uco; Mendoza - Argentina $19 (tasted 1/19/20)