Lail Vineyards, J Daniel Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Tannins have settled nicely yet still has plenty of fruit. Fun to drink!

2012 vintage

still singing. 30m-1h open, decant helps with sediment mainly. perfect balance and awesome blue fruit and american oak.

2012 vintage

Opaque purple, ruby color. Black cherries, black raspberries and black currants with licorice, chocolate land earthiness in the nose. Black cherries, blackberries, plums and black currants in the flavor with earthiness, licorice, and mocha in the flavor. Sweet tannins remain in the finish, rich, full bodied, very well balanced and a long finish. Drinking very well now and can go several more years. 94/95

2002 vintage

I was fortunate enough to stumble onto Lail in the late 90s, and have been a fan ever since. Their wines are superbly balanced and age very well. I popped a 2002 J.Daniel a while back, and it clobbered most of the first growth Bordeaux wines of the same age. J. Daniel was a ringer I put in a bag at a blind tasting with some friends. This bottle was ready to go immediately- fine, resolved tannins, abundant black fruit, …

2012 vintage

Outstanding from start to finish. Didn’t have time to decant but was marvelous right out of the bottle and even got better with time. Fruit forward. Long, subtle finish. Great by itself but was marvelous with tenderloin.

2016 vintage

Tried this with 1 and 2 hrs air and then as a PnP after sitting on nitrogen for a week. Ultimately preferred it as PnP after a week on nitro. But where I really liked it was in March, 2017 (a 98 score then). At that age it was creamy and plush with stunning dark fruit. Oh, to have a time machine! Today this is much more mellow, but surprisingly, more tannic than I remember from '17. Mouth puckering tannic. …

2012 vintage

From magnum. Not as good as my last bottle. A bit thin.

2011 vintage

Tanins were soft, wine was comfortable but not bold, not enough fruit. This wine is ready to drink.

2016 vintage

New Years Eve with Valerie, decanted about 60 minutes prior to drinking. Bottles purchased direct from vintner at release. Dinner at Buona Vita (BYO in Somers Point, NJ), red sauce pasta for me. From last tasting:"Dense purple color, no real signs of age. Nose of dark fruits, floral/violet, Palate of blackberry, dark berries, cassis, spice/pepper, graphite. Silky texture, tannins softened. Full body, long finish." This killed on this evening. Its a big Calif Cab from a ripe vintage - so …

2007 vintage

Wonderful fruit, even after 18 years. Good balance, fine tannins, no bricking. Delicious

2002 vintage

amazing dark fruit. elegant. I love this wine. drinking wonderfully

2002 vintage

Double blind. Other than the Roumier, another wine I couldn’t finish the glass. At my age, 15.5% ABV was really challenging.

2012 vintage

Same bottle as Melvin & PCLin, Dark garnet. Some oak and plenty of dark fruit. Good acidity providing a lift despite the elevated alcohol. I would give this another 5 years. 92+

2012 vintage

Mainly vintages ending in '2' : 15.5% alcohol with black fruit, bloody hell. Only saving grace was that it didn't have an offensive oak imprint.

2012 vintage

Very fine soft tannins and supple easy-drinking texture. Blackberries and raspberries. Still very fruit-forward and fresh with the acidity tucked away in the background. Enjoyable.

2007 vintage

Burgers & Bubbles dinner party. This was a late night pull and a real crowd pleaser. Very similar, predictable performance from a Melka/Lail bottling. 96

2012 vintage

Last 750 of this bottle tasted in 2017. These were purchased at a visit with the vintners from their library. Decanted 2 hours prior to drinking, Served with grilled steaks and salmon Dense purple color, no real signs of age. Nose of dark fruits, floral/violet, Palate of blackberry, dark berries, cassis, spice/pepper, graphite. Silky texture, tannins softened. Full body, long finish This is their premiere cuvee, this bottle showed the pedigree. Aged beautifully, incredible texture and nuance through the finish. …

2007 vintage

I really enjoyed this wine. Extremely well balanced with a very long finish. While still primary, it was one of the better California wines that I've had in recent memory.

2016 vintage

developing wonderfully. Tannins balanced with acid. Lot of black fruits -- blueberry, blackberry. drinking perfectly and can go another 5-10yrs

2012 vintage

Outstanding. Handled the 17 years with ease.

2007 vintage

Better after 1-2 hours. Integrated tannins and acid. Ripe dark fruits with medium toasted oak.

2012 vintage

Pulled a special bottle for a friends birthday in South Texas. The lone wine drinkers offering for a group of avid beer, tequila and scotch drinkers. I figured this would hold it's own if anyone decided to adventure across party lines. What can I say, this is one of the many modern Napa Cuvees that will impress the most avid Silver Oak enthusiast. 94...

2016 vintage

Very balanced, great depth from start to end.

2016 vintage

Corked

2002 vintage

Rich and concentrated. Still room for further development Excellent mature Cab. Drink or hold

2007 vintage

Decanted a 375 ml bottle for an hour before pairing a glass with a ribeye steak. Then enjoyed the rest after finishing dinner. This vintage has gotten much better with age and should continue for several more years.

2011 vintage

Sensational. Bottom third of cork crumbled a bit, but the wine was very much alive right from the start. Dark fruit is subtle but clearly still there. Tobacco notes are prominent. Delicious.

1998 vintage

From magnum. Went super well with dry aged ribeye and filet at Hawksmoor. Its an off year but was as good as other good vintages.

2011 vintage

3 hour decant. Less than a teaspoon of sediment. Nearly blackberry compote in a glass, but more than just a fruit bomb. Some nice Eucalyptus mint, vanilla Oak and touch of the central Napa floor's dust on the long and very smooth and pliable tannins. This early peak window will probably last for another half dozen years with ease.

2007 vintage

Rich, delicious, black cherry fruit with cassis flavors, excellent structure, long finish

2002 vintage

Incredible

2002 vintage

My first Lail. On a PnP at cellar temp, it was all fruit and seemed quite young. Blueberry, cherry, and plum flavors dominated. 2-3 hours of slow ox and some cola notes started to appear. I had a 2012 Insignia a couple of days before this and I preferred the Lail by a wide margin.

2012 vintage

Really good! Dark fruit bliss, the smoothest of tannins and a finish that won’t quit. 20 year old Napa gem!!

2002 vintage

Consistent with past note

2012 vintage

At 10 years of age this could have been mistaken for the recent release. Freshness of fruit, silky tannins, and a very specific winemaking style that has become a bit predictable vintage to vintage. One of the bottlings that got me into wine. Quality juice that I think a good majority of Napa drinkers enjoy and I recommend to most folks looking to explore Napa. On day two it lost a lot of precision and almost rolled over. I've experience …

2012 vintage

Rich, full body cab that pairs well with meat. Has a softness to its rich texture.

2016 vintage

Very nice

2011 vintage

Lovely. Very new world.

2012 vintage

Outstanding great fruit

2012 vintage

This J Daniel Cuvee 16 was locked up tight a PNP. With some ox in the glass the wine softened up a bit. Still primarily dark bramble fruits and chewy tannins. Not the typically Melka experience of silky plushness that I associate with a "style". A bit more serious than the 15 I opened up shortly after. It will be fun to see were this wine goes as it's a bit muddled and in need of further development. 95 Hold

2016 vintage

Bordeaux/Cabernet with Special Guest Lail (Orsay) : This is the best of the group to drink today. Most integrated and the only one that is close to getting some secondary notes. Well balanced. Lots of life left. Drinks very well. Not sure it will have the same peak as the '08, but it is drinking nicely now.

2002 vintage

well aged, still has 10+ years

2002 vintage

Perhaps opened a little early but we tried in 2015 and wanted to see evolution. Wow. Needed only 15 minutes or so. Slight hint of iodine and olives quickly dissipated. Fully layered with wonderful mocha, leather and pencil wood. 20 second finish. Very wonderful

2007 vintage

My last bottle of this vintage. Opened, but not decanted at a NYC Steakhouse as part of a Napa Cabernet night. 4 out of 7 had this as their favorite. It was the oldest wine of the tasting (because I couldn't find the 2010 in my cellar!). I think those that didn't have it as their favorite prefer their wines younger. For me, the spices, mixed with the fruit was a real treat. Medium bodied with a long finish.

2007 vintage

As I write this note I am sipping this Lail Cabernet. It is delightful to drink, with dark ruby color and full body, medium alcohol and tannins, and a lighter touch than many high end Cabinenets. Excellent fruit sweetness contrasted by its tannins. Excellent right after opening.

2011 vintage

Excellent. This beautiful Lail is drinking so well … probably has at least a decade, if not two, left. Still has dark purple red color with no brick on the edges. Gorgeous bottle bouquet, followed by great balanced on the palate … fine tannins, good acidity and long finish. This is a real winner.

1997 vintage

2 hour decant, and perhaps could have used more. Inky color, no sediment to notice, tannins were still thick if smooth. Black, blue and red fruits. Screams Napa Valley.

2007 vintage

Good fruit. Blackberry and cassis. Smooth tannins. A couple years left in the drinking window.

2007 vintage

This is a wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon from a great vintage in Napa. This 14 year old Magnum is showing great complexity with a soft mouthfeel. Big and bold. Rich and extracted. Showing black fruits with cedar, vanilla, licorice, earth, spices, chocolates, tobacco and peppercorn. Elegant and delightful. Long long finish with firm tannins and tangy raspberries. Drinking deliciously right out of the bottle, but even better after an hour of airtime. Beautiful nose once it opens up, so be patient. …

2007 vintage

So after the disappointing experience earlier this week I decide to pull another cork to verify bottle variation. This bottle had a lot more going for it over the two days consumed. More acid, tannin and the fruit was more round on the palate with no steep fall off on day to from extended ox. With that said I think the drinking window when opening this wine should be same day. I was also encouraged by the winery to do …

2016 vintage

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Lail Vineyards, J Daniel Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

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