Cakebread, Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Aged 10 years, decanted for 2 hours - drinking really well right now. Good balance of sous bois and fruit flavors. It’s a bold wine, but the tannins and acidity are nicely balanced. Dark and blue fruits, raspberry, green bell pepper, cedar, pencil shavings, mouth puckering acidic finish. This wine could comfortably age for another 5 years. Definitely in a good drinking window right now. Also 15.4% ABV, which is a little high for my taste, but still good. Paired …

Super solid bottle. Pop and pour but have been enjoying from the bottle over the course of the whole day. Immediately on the nose hits you with concentrated black fruit, bramble, blackberry, cassis. You get tobacco and dried herbs on the back. As it opens up you get black cherry compote, cola, graham cracker crust. This was incredible all day, would highly recommend opening now as it feels like it's in the prime window. Direct from winery.

Nice bottle....decanted for 2 hours then back in the bottle to take to HMCs for dinner with marinated skirt steak. Classic VHR nose notes to start. Mid weight palate, meaty notes, red/blue fruit to start, blacker later on. Tremendous wine here for the price I obtained it at auction. Many years ahead for it yet.

Started out light in weight and red fruited early in the evening, but as it got more air in the decanter it really added weight, depth and the fruit moved to dark red/black. The wine became silkier and smoother as well. While it lacked the familiar VHR nose, it delivered quite nicely on the palate. This is an extremely smooth, integrated and well made wine. A 90 early on, a 94+ by the end.

A good wine but a little disappointing as it didn’t live up to my up to my expectations. My first experience with the Vine Hill appellation was a Cab made by Tor and it was a delightful, this one was just okay. Dark purple appearance with a soft bouquet. On the palate, dark berries, cherry, boysenberry an dark currants. Nice flavor and extraction but lacking the wow factor for the price point. Glad l got it at a slightly discounted …

this wine was very syrupy when it was first opened and was totally different after a long decant- the next bottle we will decant at least two hours

Dark and brooding. PNP but this definitely needs a decant. BlackBerry, Anise, Forest Floor. Grippy tannnins but nicely textured. Finishes earthy and firm. Give this a couple years and will drink well for 20+

Absolutely superb. Yes, this is worth it. Rich, complex, smooth.

Cakebread Tasting at K&L Redwood City : Pure cassis, black cherry, and a hint of mocha. Maybe cocoa-dusted cherries. High alcohol, medium-minus acid, low tannins. This is a riper and more approachable style than the standard Napa Valley bottling, as well as the Benchlands.