The Hess Collection, Lion Tamer Red, Napa Valley

YPO Austin Blind Wine Tasting; 5/15/2025-5/16/2025 : In blind tasting of $150+ Napa cabs 2010-2020, this was group's #9/9 and my #9/9. Although I didn't like it, two others really did, rating it 98 and 99. I found it too ripe and sweet. Also lacking in depth and complexity.

2016 vintage

4th Saturday Brown Bagger (R&D’s) : Double blind. Dark color. Plummy and ripe dark fruit leads the way, with cocoa, sandalwood and floral qualities as well. Full-bodied. Flavors of plum, black raspberry and licorice with a lingering finish. Picks up a sweet tobacco note with air. Guessed Napa cab sauv. (V&M)

2016 vintage

20 People Bring a Bottle (Good, The Bad & The Ugly) (Edina, MN) : Another Napa Wine I have a zero desire to drink. Paint thinner, muted fruit and earth. This is a classic example of over paying for a wine with Napa on it.

2014 vintage

Aroma of black cherry some white pepper . Fruit forward, very little tannin. Served with paprikash, it compliments the meal.

2016 vintage

opened as jam fest. still hot and over the edge. could be a bad bottle.

2014 vintage

Well made and very appealing. Jazzy notes of black raspberries, dark cherries, chocolate, and well integrated oak. The palate is bright and softly textured, with proportionate structure and bottle age complexity. Delicious.

2014 vintage

This is drinking well now. Smooth tannins and a long finish. Not overly sweet like most Napa cabs.

2016 vintage

For the price $40- expected more Better choices out there as a full Cab at that price

2016 vintage

Simple fruit forward blend…somewhat cough syrupy but blueberry flavor pretty decent…wouldn’t seek it out … I paid $40+ and think it’s not a good QPR….

2016 vintage

Liftu

2016 vintage

Fruit bomb and out of balance, too much shoe polish and possibly VA. To be fair I'm not a fan of Malbec dominated wines but even so the person who blended this must have just caught Covid-19.

2016 vintage

Cigar box, earth, great nose long finish

2014 vintage

It’s good...Better after air. I’m glad I tried it. I don’t think anyone would drink it and say they would want multiple bottles in their stash. There is better out there for the same price.

2016 vintage

Decanted for an hour. Very smooth. Drank with lamb chops.

2016 vintage

Nice red blend. Nothing to wow you but very drinkable.

2016 vintage

The fruit and the earth are present on the pleasant nose. At the pour, she showed a bit lite for our liking, but an hour in, the big blend was cohesive. Balanced. Seemed to gather girth with aeration time. We’re definitely there with the cherries others mention. It’s very inviting, making us want to rip through the bottle. That’s 90 pts on its own. The smoothness of it is what has really impressed us. The tannins have dissipated. As far …

2014 vintage

Gift, excellent

2016 vintage

Dark garnet, medium bodied. Fully towards modernity. Likely to please casual wine drinkers. If you are a wine geek then its saccrine sweet “red” flavor and total lack of finish may be offputting.

2016 vintage

A small decant, maybe an hour, goes a long way with this wine. The nose really blossoms and the tannins integrate and smooth quickly. The nose is penetratingly dark and spicy, with aromas of cherry and blackberry compote, bright red and black plums, fruit leather, baking spice, sweet cigar tobacco and leather. It's full bodied with bright acid and thick, integrated and smooth tannin, all in good harmony. Only the alcohol stands out, though just by a smidge. Flavors include …

2016 vintage

Aromas of blackberry pie, with hints of vanilla and leather. Delicious, jammy, without being syrupy, and enjoyable to drink! Should be a great wine to enjoy for years to come

2016 vintage

Bright purple color. Smells of sweet plums, black cherry jam, juicy and plump with violets, cocoa, vanilla and coffee. Full-bodied but smooth with soft tannins and medium-low acidity. Sweet clumps of plum, black cherry and blackberry. Laced with vanilla, toasted marshmallow, dark chocolate and cedar, with some earthy hints. Full, hedonistic and fun. 40% Malbec with Zinfandel, Ptite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvedr and Merlot. Aged 22 months in 40% new French oak.

2016 vintage

This is getting significantly fruitier. Fruit feels a lot sweeter. Nose shows plush black fruit and ripe violet aromas. 40% Malbec, 27% Zin, 21% PS, 8% PS, etc...

2016 vintage

Delicioso

2014 vintage

Nose of glycerin and blackberry. Blackberry and plum with a hint of chocolate on the finish. Decanted 1 hour.

2014 vintage

Very good.....

2014 vintage

Ripe big, pretty darn tasty with its black fruit character.

2014 vintage

Black and red fruit to the nose, good sense of concentration and oak. Flashy.

2014 vintage

Dark and very black fruited, toasty oak, little hint of carmel, and dirty glass. Or rather not dirty glass but freshly washed glass. Plump black fruit.

2014 vintage

Purple and red fruit,

2014 vintage

Lots of lifted herb spice to the nose. Dark brown rustic oak to the palate. Medium tannin. Ripe and smokey to the nose. Has some mossy notes to the nose. Lots to chew on.

2014 vintage

Interesting Napa blend. PnP with cheese tray. Nice! Fruit froward, a bit tart but worked very well with food. Complex enough to be interesting and mellowed over an hour. i like everything about this wine except the price. Should be less expensive.

2014 vintage

No real notes. Totally enjoyable, moderate depth. Does much better with a few hours decanting.

2014 vintage

Bommarito Tasting at the Ritz

2014 vintage

Not tame yet! Loads of flavor, but in the form of very tart cherry, much too tart and acidic for me. My wife liked it more than I did, comparing it to tart cherry pie. I will wait 5 years to open my next bottle, at which point I hope that age will have mellowed this beast.

2014 vintage

55% Malbec with Zin, Cab Sauv, Petite and Merlot. Dark rustic berry fruit aromas. Some fruit cocktail aromas in the back, Zin perhaps? Some classed up sandalwood on the palate, full and rich, silky as f*** mid-palate. Med/- tannin. A little kernel on the finish.

2014 vintage

55% Malbec and then Zin, Cabernet, Merlot. THey use the Malbec to tame the Cabernet I am being told. Again, smells like Cabernet to me. And a touch of RS I am being told. Bright fun juicy fruit.

2014 vintage

"The Lion Tamer" a rebrand with the new vinter and new blend. Lots of malbec here but smelled like Cabernet. It was a taste wine, big question on my mind was what is the price? At $20 its darn good, at $80 its way over. Hopefully they land it around $30.

2014 vintage

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The Hess Collection, Lion Tamer Red, Napa Valley

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