Tobias, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Well how-dee-do--after five years of waiting (and wasting four other bottles), this wine finally woke up! Black currant and black cherry fruit with a grumpy green pine note on day one that softens into cooked green bell pepper by day three. Decent.

Not much fruit here, it's starchy and withdrawn. Similar to the 2014 bottle which I gave just 82 pts to, I kept waiting for flavor to show up and it never really did. 82 again.

Finally an unflawed bottle. Black fruit with some herbal notes and an intriguing moment of caraway seed. Currently tannins and acidity outshine the fruit but the wine is nonetheless quite drinkable and should improve with further cellaring.

Better than the rhubarb stew that our last bottle was, and we did actually finish this bottle, but we kept waiting for bigger better varietal flavors to emerge and they never did. Asleep? Maybe, but for now strictly average, not satisfying.

Very odd wine. No easily identifiable flaw here, just a red wine that tastes like rhubarb and cactus juice--certainly not something made from grapes. I paid $30 for this? Excuse me while I go make a voodoo doll of the guy who sold it to me and stick a pin in it.

In tasting this wine, I have to wonder if Ric and Toby actually ever actually discussed winemaking and if the younger wears anything but Che Guevara tee-shirts.....Wow.

Nice smooth wine. Just not exceptional.

A lighter, clear ruby red color in the glass. Nice nose of red fruit. Very elegant and well balanced on the palate, in a lighter, food-friendly style. Extremely good Cabernet for the price.

Very average wine. Cabernet characteristics of dark Berry, tannin and a bit much alcohol for my taste - wouldn't buy again.

A pretty nose that is somewhat Burgundian in style. Bright red cherry and red raspberries. An easy-going wine that I would be hard pressed to nail as a Napa Cabernet. No hard edges on the pillow-like conveyor of bright red fruits bursting with freshness. Hints of cedar, soy and sassafras aound. Balance is done well with an acidity that runs above all else. Finish is long and pure, still holding the Pinot-like feel. Interesting, I think……

a little hot on opening, leather, pepper, blackberry on the nose. Smooth creamy mouthfeel, some dark berry, mellow tanins. Like it but at this price point would probably select something different.