Muir-Hanna Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 4-Pack
$69.99 $̶2̶1̶5̶.̶0̶0̶ 67% off List Price
2003 Muir-Hanna Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Particelli Vineyards
2004 Muir-Hanna Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Particelli Vineyards
CT links above
Please Note: The state shipping list, including NY has been temporarily reduced recently.
State Shipping Discussion
We recently had a bottle of the 2003 Muir-Hanna Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Particelli Vineyard at one of our local restaurants with a friend who is comparatively less-experienced in reviewing wines than we are. I’m not saying that we are better, just that she is less-experienced!
We had to coach our poor server as she opened the bottle since the cork broke. She almost freaked out. Fortunately, I had the exact same thing happen the night before on a bottle of the same vintage of Rioja, except that my cork disintegrated! Once she got the cork out, I was able to smell the wine clear across the table as she poured it into ddeuddeg’s glass. It was a beautiful fruity aroma. Once I got my pour, I was able to identify ripe cherries and dark berries. It was a beautiful claret color with no bricking yet. This wine was explosive on the palate. The flavors matched the nose. This is a very smooth, well-balanced, nicely aged wine with a long finish.
Our friend said, “Fantastic smell when opened. Slow to develop taste. Warm, rich wonderful taste in the back of my mouth. Fantastic with lamb dish. Wonderful throughout the meal.”
This is a well-made wine. I would like to have more of it in our cellar. It is drinking beautifully now. At this price point, we’ll be in and so will our friend. I look forward to doing a mini-vertical. 
Two nights ago, at one of our favorite local restaurants, SWMBO and I, along with a dinner guest, had a chance to sample a bottle of the '03 Muir-Hanna Cabernet Sauvignon, Particelli Vineyard. It was a nice opportunity to see how it would work with different meals, since at home we’d typically be eating the same thing.
I asked the server to open it right away, and tried a taste to see if it needed decanting, deciding that wouldn’t be necessary. This was one of those rare wines I would have approved just from the initial sniff: loaded with dark fruits, black currants and bing cherries.
On the palate, dusty tannins, like from Rutherford, more dark fruit. So far, I’m loving it on its own. After 15 minutes in the glass, the tannins have softened nicely, vindicating our decision not to decant, but just giving it a bit of air.
Dinner was beef stew “braised with root vegetables and bourbon in a rich beef demi-glaze, crowned with puff pastry triangles.” (menu description) I’ll let SWMBO comment on her pairing, but this one was near perfect. The only problem I had with the wine was that I wanted another bottle; it was a superb match for the stew, complementing the rich flavors without competing. All that fruit came to the forefront, although a bit subdued with age, and created the illusion of sweetness, although I’m quite sure it was bone dry.
I could see the '03 going for $25-30 a bottle. At this price point, I’ll have to find a way to get my hands on some more. The 6 hour drive to Hartford will be a small price to pay for a wine this enjoyable. Pending approval from PB, I’m definitely in. I’ll sleep on it and decide for how many.
Oops! I forgot to mention our food pairing! Our guest and I both decided to have the other special at the restaurant: Basil-Pinenut Crusted Lamb which was a Rack of Lamb Roasted with a Basil-Pinenut Crust, served on a bed of Roasted Pepper and Spinach Risotto, naped with a Tomato Demi-Glaze (restaurant description). It was prepared beautifully! The wine was the perfect complement to this meal! The only problem: we ran out of wine! 
So join or create a WW Gathering!
Shipping only to 16 states and sadly not Missouri. Was ready to pull the trigger 
These look promising as I needed some cabs in this age range and especially at this price point. Judging by the alc. and descriptors used in the notes we’ve seen so far this seems to be firmly in the new world camp. Do we think this will last another 10 years or is it peaking now?
Buffalo crew…was this a coincidence or did you get a bottle from a friend? Just curious!
Ron, I heard you’ve also got something to share with us…
My question is also on the style. The alcohol and acid numbers lead me to guess it’s more new world-ish. Would rpm approve of this bottle?
A bottle of the 2004 Cab appeared at my Wine Locker recently. Upon opening, poured a glass, and filled a 375ml bottle (just below cork pushed all the way down) for tomorrow. Will report on it tomorrow evening.
Initial sniff: loaded with dark fruits, black currants and dusty (not quite Rutherford, but close) on the nose.
Very nice on the palate, at cellar temp, little tannins. But after being open a while, some soft tannins appear.
And obviously, I give this two thumbs up!
First Sucker: MarkDaSpark
Find a wootlegger close to you. Or someplace you don’t mind visiting!
There’s even a thread for it!
Aaaaaaaaaaand no shipping to New York, again
Earlier this week while Picking up an expected shipment from FedEx the kind lady I ply with bottles offered up an unexpected box containing a single bottle. Never known to turn down a gift, it too went home.
A 10-year old Napa Valley vineyard designate Cab!
2003 Muir~Hanna Napa Cabernet Sauvignon - Particelli Vineyard
With uncertainty of when I may again see this and be called upon for notes, I candled the bottle looking for any signs of sediment, and seeing absolutely none immediately pulled the cork.
The wine was a very clear medium garnet lacking any signs of bricking, and leaving surprisingly little pigment on the cork, as if it had only recently been bottled, or perhaps stored such that the cork wasn’t wetted, but it gave no indication of dryness to and was quite playable and was easily extracted.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wsFqrCE8w-E/Uj0cYslkFrI/AAAAAAAAA6o/_mIwvvd4VBE/s720/P1050953.JPG
Initial PnP impression was quite neutral, very restrained nose of fruits carrying through on the palate, a bit of alcohol, medium finish. Nothing unbalanced or out of place, but nothing outstanding either. Based on a recent experiment with PS and storage, half was decanted into a very full 375 and re-corked (Zork) and stored in a regular fridge, the remaining left in the 750, no Ar. or special treatment, and stored horizontally in the cooler at 55F; both for two days. Upon opening this evening equal amounts were poured into glasses and left to breath.
Initial impressions found the 375 to have a bit more fruit on the nose and palate; both were still restrained with dark fruits and still a bit of alcohol still needing to blow off. Entry for both was slightly sharp, same dark berry fruits with lightly drying tannins picking up for the finish.
Day three: The 750, without Ar, didn’t hold up all that well, so it’s now the 375 that is showing very little change from the previous pour. Now picking up some red cherry as well as the dark berry from earlier, but still none of the aged bouquet I might expect. No green or vegetal hints either.
Overall a well balanced bottle that seems like this could go for some time in a good cellar.
While I’d question $50 SRP, at $17.50 and with IH on plus, this looks to be an expensive day.
The '03 did not seem to be high in alcohol content at all. To me, it seems to be at its peak, but I will leave the winemaker to give the aging potential.
Aaaaaaaaaaand no shipping to Wisconsin, again, again, again, again, again???
I don’t know the wine, and I can’t imagine why a 10 year old cab didn’t land in the hands of the guy who’s been preaching on these boards since 2007 that Cabernet Sauvignon should as a matter of course not be drunk before the age of 10 (other than to check development).
That said, this is almost certainly worth trying, if only to see what Cabernet that has lasted past the initial fruit/tannin stage tastes like.
Given that 2003 was a decent, but not particularly strong year, I would expect the 2003 wine to be mature, probably in the neighborhood of peak, and certainly worth ~$20 a bottle for the look-see. Similarly, 2004 was about the same, but early maturing, so that wine should be ready to drink as well.
Drink the 2003 now, it being just into the 10 years from vintage window this Fall, and try the 2004 during the February Winter doldrums.
Weird weekend, I live In a beach community near L.A., Thursday night the wife freaked out as a raccoon was walking along our wall, not something you see by the beach every day, Friday I hear a commotion out front and look out the window and a dam monkey was shrieking and carrying on, Really? in Manhattan Beach? opened the door and low and behold was a bottle of this wine!!!
Grabbed the bottle, thanked the monkey and went back in the house a little rattled, but thankful all the same, After all I’m always looking for a nice bottle of Cab.
Last night remembering the bottle decided to check it out.
Popped the cork and immediately could smell the wine, to me this is a good sign… poured about half a glass and liked what I saw, ( If I can see through a wine as I pour it that’s not a good sign) A deep dark red color with nice legs. 1st sip was promising, flavors exploded in my mouth, berries, and dry to the point of shall I say… cotton mouth?
As the evening went by I fell in love with this wine. Reminded me a little of RBW and Rockus, to me some of my woot favorites.
Unlike others this wine didn’t make it to day two, gone in one night.
Defiantly in for more at this price, this is an excellent wine for the price (would expect to pay $30 for a bottle like this), just have to figure out how much and where to put it as my racks are full.
Edit: in for 2
Last Wooter to Woot:
fredrinaldi
Which vintage?
Ya know I didn’t notice, believe 03, will verify when I get home tonight.
Any west coasters want to split?
I’m in for one set, but would like to add an extra bottle of each.