Promontory, Napa Valley

Random wines tried during service (Oinoscent) : bottle open for 2.5 hours before tasting it In the nose, the wine shows very thick profile, dark berry notes, very dense and thick oak frame, warm, clove, peppery notes, liquorice notes, some coffee notes, a few dried dark fruit notes, bold and dense, some espresso notes. In the palate, the wine shows dark fruit, it follows the same pattern as the nose, dark berry notes, tannins kicking in, full body, warmth, liquorice, …

2014 vintage

Maybe it just needs more time, but I found it to be overly tannic to the point of hindering its enjoyment even after a 5 hour decant. It�s obviously a very well made wine and I will revisit in a few years

2014 vintage

Excellent! Surprisingly good and fresh -- and complex -- given the age and vintage.

2008 vintage

Tasted blind. Pegged it as a half decade younger. Surprisingly big tannins. Aged in a little new oak (in contrast to modern vintages which are in Austrian oak). Quite a bit of heft in this one. Will take another decade to come around but a fabulous inaugural vintage.

2008 vintage

At Gui Steakhouse - second among Napas only to the beguiling 2013 Macdonald, slow ox'ed 5 hours, awesome trademark minerality from Promontory here and just into its secondary evolution, the fruit was balanced but no longer juicy, the mouthfeel opulent, and a long, gentle ramp-down 30-45 second finish.

2008 vintage

Good but not amazing. 3 hour decant. The tannins aren�t quite as silky as we�d like.

2014 vintage

Approachable now, especially with 4-5 hours in the decanter, this wine shines with an incredibly smooth textural sensation. There are dense, concentrated black fruit flavors but they glide effortlessly over the palate, leaving hardly any trace of the wine�s alcohol content. At the same time, there is a rugged intensity to the wine, with forest-like aromas of pine needles and graphite. The wine trades on this interplay between the sleek and rugged aspects of its personality. Certainly a beautiful, compelling …

2014 vintage

Heh - always fun to look back at your prior notes. I don�t think this wine was in any way decreased . . . But compared to the 2014 Harlan we drank the following night, this has to be scored a tick lower for me right now. But still a 97 for me! Hard to complain. 2014�s are singing from Napa, and this is no different. Good time to check one out.

2014 vintage

8h decant. The wine was simply stunning.

2014 vintage

5 hour decant and it was ready to go. Drinking very well now but still more upside to be had. Drink with lots of air of hold.

2014 vintage

Opened with a dinner gathering of family/friends. Mid-neck level, cork removed intact with deep purple staining about 15% up the cork, no evidence of seepage beyond that point. Given about a 3 hour decant prior to pouring; minimal sediment noted. Beautiful fruity/floral aroma noted. In glass, opaque deep purple coloration. Nose - ripe black cherry, blue/black fruits, pencil, and forest floor. Palate showed predominantly dark red/black fruit with a silky mouthfeel along with a notable lightness in the texture of …

2014 vintage

From pop and pour Very rich and dense, thrilling and ripe and loaded. After an hour hard graphite notes, some tar. Then 2 hours in all was forgiven the graphite blew off and plush roch deep layered beautiful Napa cab. But very intense style, could still taste it the next day. More a thrill than a great food wine at this stage due to the richness of the fruit.

2014 vintage

This is a wow wine. A rare wine. Yes it�s expensive but it creates a unique experience. With a nice decant it shines. Palate is still tight for 2014 and a long decant but in a good way. It�s not overly ripe or a heavy syrupy fruit bomb, rather its medium body with all the blue fruits present and well integrated. It has structure and fine tannins to age easily another 10-15 years.

2014 vintage

Arizona Dreaming! (Guiseppe's in Scottsdale) : No formal notes. This received about 1 hour of air before consumption, and drank over the next 2 hours. Promontory is always a treat to drink! 2008 was their first vintage, so it is extra-special. This was singing from the get-go, but was slightly shown up by its younger brother (2012) tonight. The wine showed lots of red and dark fruit with earthy notes, spice and some sandalwood. Truly a privilege and pleasure to …

2008 vintage

In the world of plus $500 California wines it�s hard to live up to expectations but this really does deliver. The fruit is laden with ripeness and mineral that is glorious from the start. Tannins are fine but still stick on the finish. I can smell the glass from three feet away but is in no way a heavy bruiser. Cassis, dark chocolate, graphite, plum, blackberry� medium plus body for Napa but still heavier that Harlan in a good way. …

2014 vintage

This just had a quick decant but was undeniably pleasurable with plenty of life ahead. Denser and darker than more recent promontory offerings but still dishing up plenty of finesse. No formal note but did pick up on the fruit being ripe but fine tuned with a nice mineral backing. No rush here and no surprise a great first vintage.

2008 vintage

Had this at the winery along with 12, 16, 20 (barrel), 21 (barrel) and 12 Penultimate. For drinking right now, 12 Promontory was the winner but this wasn't far behind and is overall a slightly better wine (16 is the best of them IMO). Aromas of blackcurrant, baking spices, lead pencil, violets and forest floor. Has a tightly packed palate (especially for a 14), but the layers start to unfurl while in the glass, revealing lovely pure and expressive blue …

2014 vintage

Napa Trip - Trying new wines and meeting new people; 4/11/2022-4/12/2022 (Napa) : This one came out swinging, beatin' my dead palate awake. This one stood out most to me, even with a shot palate. Nose was quite pretty with red flowers with dark red and black fruits, soft clean oak and minerals. Palate showed much of the same but with an execution of elegance and nice finesse. My favorite out of the entire line up.

2014 vintage

Spring 2022 Dream Napa Trip; 4/11/2022-4/12/2022 : Showing better than the last time I tasted this back in August, followed by 13 and 16. Beautiful fruit, a bit of baseball glove leather on the nose. On the palate, just tons of nuance to this wine, with a long finish.

2014 vintage

Kleur: Dieprood Aroma / bouquet: Opvallend expressief, aangenaam en verleidelijk bouquet, minder 'aards' dan de 2011 en meer in lijn met 2015 en 2016. Smaak / Afdronk: BP14 Prachtige volle Promontory, iets minder gepronunceerde zuurgraad, opvallend dik-sappig en geconcentreerd. Aangename, zachte en bijna romig aandoende tannines. Algemeen / potentieel: 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Smaak / Afdronk: 19 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 97/100 Colour: Deep red Aroma / bouquet: Strikingly expressive, pleasant and …

2014 vintage

Bigger and warmer than the 2016. Not the same depth or precision but absolutely beautiful. Drinking well now. Voluptuous. (95)

2014 vintage

Decanted three hours, a young wine that will benefit from further cellaring. Still very deep purple, with lots of black and blue fruits in the nose and flavor. Blackberries, black currents, blueberries, black cherries, and hints of chocolate, licorice, leather, and tobacco. A well structured, elegant wine, very deep and rich, full bodied, perfectly balanced, and a very long surprisingly silky smooth finish. I suspect I will give it a higher score when next tasted in seven or eight years.

2014 vintage

Wine Spectator 40th Anniversary; 10/21/2021-10/23/2021 (Marriott Marquis) : Just too much. Too big, too much alc, lots of tannins. Maybe if it has a long time?

2014 vintage

A bit tightly wound when sampled at Promontory. Looking forward to trying this bottle in 4 or 5 y. Leather, Black fruit, Red Fruit, very precise!

2014 vintage

Absolute perfection. OUT.STAND.ING.

2014 vintage

What a treat to try! Promontory’s first vintage and at 13 years, it did not feel like that at all. This wine is going to go the distance with its velvety tannins and its balance. There was some great acidity to this wine and there was still no shortage of dark blackberries, cherries and blueberries. In another 5 years I can see more secondary and tertiary flavors presiding over the wine but for now, it seems to be in that …

2008 vintage

I had notes that mirrored much of what has been said on CT from other users. This wine was�muah! I loved this wine for its mouthfeel. This had an amazingly long finish. This wine has structure, balance, complexity and nuance. Why didn�t this score higher for me? I think it just needs some time and unfortunately it was on the day where it had to go up against the likes of Macdonald and Harlan. This will be a 99-100 point …

2014 vintage

Amazing

2014 vintage

Perfect wine with our Turkey dinner with wonderful dark fruit, acidity and tannins.Delicious

2008 vintage

The 2008 Promontory, the "unreleased" first vintage before the first offering which was of the 2009, shows the wild side of this wine with notes of black raspberry, sage, loamy earth, and seductive cedar. Soft and supple tannins support dark fruit and truffle. Dense but light on its feet. Very good but better in a few years; drink starting 2022.

2008 vintage

Pulled the cork at 2:00PM for a 6:30PM consumption. Unreal wine. Structure, character and fruit. Still a baby. Opened for my 55th birthday. I have two more bottles. One for 60 and one for 65! Something to look forward to for sure.

2008 vintage

Imperial Paragon Wine Night + Promontory!: Most anticipated vintage for me tonight. However, similar to the 2013, this was just way too tight and closed up. Black fruits, leather, tar, espresso beans, kirsch, cigar, smoke. I got a glimpse of the potential but it just never quite opened up tonight. This definitely needs more time for me. Hold 92/93

2014 vintage

Decanted for about 4 hours. Drank over 3 hours. This is an epic wine. The most standout feature is the mouthfeel. After visiting this winery in 2018 and seeing the process, they clearly are adding amazing layers to the mouthfeel with the multiple barrels, time, etc. this goes through before bottling. We drank several excellent wines from Napa on the same day as this and the night before (2016 M. Etain and William Cole; 2017 Realm To Kalon and Carter …

2014 vintage

Scored after 6 hours open, clearly the star in a line up of 2011-2014 promontory. Amazing concentration and will be great in 3-5 years.

2014 vintage

Blackberry, tobacco, black pepper, menthol and dank earth dominate the nose. The palate still has plenty of dark fruit, but is definitely starting the transition to tertiary flavors of mushrooms and coffee. The mid palate is a bit more hollow than I would ideally like, but the overall balance is excellent. It is more medium than full bodied, without the massive depth of some of the newer vintages. Big time earthy and mineral driven flavors. Good purity and a long …

2008 vintage

Pretty outrageous for a first vintage. This bottle continues the blue / black theme of the vineyard it is beginning to show some maturity. Doesn’t have the complexity of the 2014, but a delicious drink and a very interesting look into what this promising vineyard has is store. (94)

2008 vintage

What a joy to taste this incredible first vintage from understated and hugely capable Will Harlan. The wine is gloriously warm and inviting, started relatively sharp and peaky, in a fun way, acids more noticeable than the 2012 or 2014, but apparently this is due to slightly more subdued fruit. Still a colossal amazing wine with tremendous depth of dark Napa plums, blackberry and chocolate, but with real freshness and verve. Tasting this on Day two after 24 hours in …

2008 vintage

Tasted at winery. Still displayed nice deep color and a very aromatic nose of black raspberries, black cherries and blackberries with licorice, herbalness, and floral in the nose. Lots of rich dark fruits in the flavor, with licorice, and some earthiness. The 2008 is an elegant, well balanced wine with a long smooth finish.

2008 vintage

So, we arrived in Napa Friday morning and started at Promontory with a glass of 2006 Dom Perignon as they do not make a white, only one red wine. We also tasted the 2016 out of large Austrian oak vats. That wine shows great promise but won’t be available until 2021. We then tasted their inaugural 2008 vintage and the 2009. Thirty-six hours later and five other excellent Napa wine producers visits later, I am still thinking about these wines. …

2008 vintage

Pretty aromas of cedar and sandalwood are still more forward than I prefer but there is also brambly fruit, mixed florals, and licorice on the gorgeous, open nose. Plush and elegantly textured with softening, but somewhat rustic, mountain tannins. There is impressive depth and purity to the 2008 Promontory and the stuffing to resolve the oak and tannic structure. Drink starting 2024.

2008 vintage

Also Notions of Sage. Needs air. A beast. Hold.

2008 vintage

Sent over from Estate, (THANKS), and slow ox’d 3hrs. Deep & Dark Ruby. Unfiltered and Unfined. TKO nose of wild blueberries, wildflowers, taranjou, purple sage and black muddy leather. Perhaps a bit of venison or deer blood and granite, and Something like grilled peaches and grilled strawberries developing with swirling air and time. Delicious on the attack. Brambly forest fruits, a blueberry note that exceeds that of any blueberry sold in this country since 1989, duff of cedarpine and dusty …

2008 vintage

Tasted alongside the '16 from barrel and the '12, this was clearly the most accessible of the wines but still very young. The nose is the most open with dark brambly fruit and some floral perfume. On the palate full bodied with wood tannins still evident, but some of the forest floor and herbal/menthol notes of the wine starting to poke through. I think you should wait on these until 2025 for full potential

2008 vintage

Weekend in Napa; 7/5/2018-7/8/2018 (Napa, CA) : Tasted alongside the 12' for me this was in a much better place. The wine felt more harmonious at this point in time. Super soft and plush tannin backed by ripe dark fruit and a finish that just goes.

2008 vintage

Clean dusty cardboard on the nose which overall is plush with some dry bark. A dry finish. N8B7F6T7F7 87677

2008 vintage

Second stop on our seventh day in Napa Valley is to Promontory Wine Estate. Second red wine is their 2008 Promontory Red. Fun fact we found out is that the Promontory estate property is the old Vichon property. Deep ruby core with garnet edges. Dried cherries on the nose with graphite, cocoa, cinnamon, forest floor and espresso. Heavy tannins (8.5/10) and full bodied. Dark minerality on the palate with black raspberries, dark spices and leather. Very dry and insanely long …

2008 vintage

New wine on the block, tannins are like kick but, the first date that leaves your eye's looking for someone new.

2008 vintage

Bottle sample. Lighter color than the barrel sample tasted in 2010. Nose was more focused, with flavors integrated more fully. Continues to mature nicely.

2008 vintage

Barrel sample, tasted in the cellar. Inky black color. Barrel nose of oak and vanilla, constrained by cellar temperature. Remarkably smooth palate for such a young wine. Each varietal seems to sing out individually. Great silky merlot texture, with the concentrated fruit nose of cabernet sauvignon and the spice of cabernet franc. A promising start.

2008 vintage

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Promontory, Napa Valley

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