It took me a while to get to this bottle, but holy hell, this is great! It's a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot that is gushing with flirty Mt. Veeder finesse. It has deep color, aromas of violet, lavender, chapparal, and blackberry jam. It has deep cassis fruit, but isn't really heavy on the palate, which is perfectly characteristic of Mt. Veeder in the southwest, relatively cool, elevated sector of Napa Valley. This red is really hard to put down, and paired with a steak it was heavenly. (96 Points)
- Tim Teichgraeber
I think Lynmar's forte has long been its Chardonnays, and this is one of the top single vineyard offerings. It comes from a vineyard named for proprietor Anisya's grandmother that is planted to the Wente clone and is sustainably farmed. The wine has very round texture and a spicy, savory character that reminds me a little bit of Sangiacomo Vineyard. It also has a bit of toast, quince, and orange zest. I'm left wanting a bit more citrus character, but this is a terrific wine that was delicious with roast chicken. (92 Points)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I think dollar-for-dollar, this is probably one of the very best entry-level Cabs from Napa Valley. Yes, this Oakville estate makes some much more expensive wines, and yes, I'm sure they buy some of the fruit that goes into this Napa Valley wine, but it sure tastes like Oakville Cabernet. It's packed with cassis, blackberry, cherry and mocha flavors, and is supple enough to drink young, but it has enough structure to last for a good while, and it has enough acidity to balance the rich black fruit. It's just plain delicious. (93 Points)
Some of the Riesling vines on this property at the top of Spring Mountain date back to the 1970's, and the estate vineyard produces a wine that is nothing less than a complete freak of nature. No one would ever plant Riesling in this location today, but these deeply-rooted vines on the rocky slopes of Spring Mountain produce a wine that is remarkably opulent, voluptuous, and completely unique. You just have to hand it to the Smith brothers for continuing to make this wine and not re-planting to Cabernet Sauvignon, which would certainly bring a better profit margin. This medium-full bodied wine is redolent of apricot, but it still has some bright green apple and citrus notes. There's no notable oak at play, but the wine is rich and round. We roast a lot of chickens around here, and usually I think a Chardonnay is the perfect fit, but this Riesling? This one works very well, thank you. When you travel the world tasting wine for a long time, you learn that there are some wines that don't make sense on paper, but they make perfect sense in the glass. This is one of those wines. (93 points)
