TN: 2017 Macdonald Cab

[MICHAEL_C_R_O_M_W_E_L_L]

It’s that good. It really earns the hype, particularly given that all of that hype is generated by wine lovers.

+1

[Scott_Brunson]

It’s that good. It really earns the hype, particularly given that all of that hype is generated by wine lovers.

+1

+2

[Zachary_Mancini]

I was lucky enough to have a 2014 of the wine list at one of my favorite restaurants for Easter (Priced at 2x!) Sadly was the last bottle they had. It was the first Macdonald I open or ever tried. I have a few bottles sleeping of the 2015 and 2016 vintage, so I don’t have much to go of, but the wine was glorious. The nose, the palate, the lingering long lasting finish. My god. My fiancé and I both decided that this was by far the best Cab we had ever had in the last couple of years (Scarecrow 2015 was currently my early USA WOTY 2021 but I think this one took the top prize)

2x is actually not bad. most I’ve seen are At least 3x. I’m sure Macdonald is good, but I wonder how much is actually just hype.

but as good as in the upper echelon (bryant, eisele, abreu, harlan, promontory, scarecrow) etc. there are levels to this game

[MICHAEL_C_R_O_M_W_E_L_L]

Can’t speak to Harlan or Promontory, but for my palate MacDonald is better than Abreu / Eisele and easily in the same class with Bryant and Scarecrow.

[Zachary_Mancini]

Can’t speak to Harlan or Promontory, but for my palate MacDonald is better than Abreu / Eisele and easily in the same class with Bryant and Scarecrow.

interesting. maybe when I’m dead ill get an allocation. granted I’m 26 so maybe I’ll be alive to receive one

[jeffruggels]

put me in the macdonald is exceptional camp

[David_Baum]

From what I read the Mondavi contract ends in 2022. So if they don’t re-up it, I guess they could make a few hundred more Cases (200-300)?

Probably a lot more, but I doubt they will use all the grapes themselves.

I believe max capacity of the vineyard is about 1000 cases

[David_Baum]

I was lucky enough to have a 2014 of the wine list at one of my favorite restaurants for Easter (Priced at 2x!) Sadly was the last bottle they had. It was the first Macdonald I open or ever tried. I have a few bottles sleeping of the 2015 and 2016 vintage, so I don’t have much to go of, but the wine was glorious. The nose, the palate, the lingering long lasting finish. My god. My fiancé and I both decided that this was by far the best Cab we had ever had in the last couple of years (Scarecrow 2015 was currently my early USA WOTY 2021 but I think this one took the top prize)

2x is actually not bad. most I’ve seen are At least 3x. I’m sure Macdonald is good, but I wonder how much is actually just hype.

Did a blind tasting Saturday night with a bunch of 15 cabs one of which was Macdonald on a trip up to Chico. Still recovering and hope to get a thread posted on it in tomorrow

[Zachary_Mancini]

It’s all based on palette preference so maybe I’ll see for myself someday. I still don’t know how it would top the 14 promontory and 16 Bryant I’ve tasted. Those wines were utterly sensational

[T.Phillips]

It’s all based on palette preference so maybe I’ll see for myself someday. I still don’t know how it would top the 14 promontory and 16 Bryant I’ve tasted. Those wines were utterly sensational

As you said… palate preference is subjective. It’s like, all your opinion, man

But i will contribute that Ive had 2 bottles of MAC to date and each was the best wine ive ever had… im also younger and havent experienced the wines a lot of people on this board have. But MAC def meets the hype

For me it stands head and shoulders above the cabs you mentioned. And i know that Bryant has some of the best fruit on pritchard hill, but look at the MAC sourcing and beyond…

Youve got some of the oldest vines in napa, at the base of the alluvial fan, so like super gravel, being made in a way that is not overly modern, but perfectly balanced for the ToKalon fruit, they dont over trim so the pyrazines are still present etc etc.

I could go on and on. I think it’s absolutely astonishing how good it is. Pure unicorn blood, as they say

Cheers

[MChang]

It’s all based on palette preference so maybe I’ll see for myself someday. I still don’t know how it would top the 14 promontory and 16 Bryant I’ve tasted. Those wines were utterly sensational

I’ve tasted through many vintages of the top cabs and Macdonald is up there with the very best. It’s much better than the two you cited.

[roybehr]

Based on the quality of the wine and the people, I could make an argument that the wine is under-hyped. Yes, there is lots of love on this board and it gets high (though not the highest) ratings, but it’s still relatively unknown in the wine world. Then when you factor in the price compared to the others being mentioned here, its value becomes even more extraordinary.

[NickRut]

I’ve had it on 4 or 5 occasions and I’d put it in the top tier of Napa cabs. At release price it’s an exceptional value but I’ve yet to buy one at full secondary price. I’m not sure it’s better than everything else I can get for $300 or less.

[Peter_Petersen]

There is no question in my mind that MacDonald is a top level Cab. For me in the same class as Monto Bello, which is my fav not unaffordable CA Cab. It is also as good as SE! Drank a 2012 with Vespertine’s Alinea dinner and I’m tempted to say that it is one of my most memorable wines in the last 5 years.

About the possible increase in production: I’ll try to remember to ask when I visit. Will spend two days in Napa in early summer and visit two wineries, the other is Beta.

[Zachary_Mancini]

It’s all based on palette preference so maybe I’ll see for myself someday. I still don’t know how it would top the 14 promontory and 16 Bryant I’ve tasted. Those wines were utterly sensational

I’ve tasted through many vintages of the top cabs and Macdonald is up there with the very best. It’s much better than the two you cited.

Hard to beat those two imo. No other wines have come close. But I guess I will have to see for myself someday!

[MChang]

It’s all based on palette preference so maybe I’ll see for myself someday. I still don’t know how it would top the 14 promontory and 16 Bryant I’ve tasted. Those wines were utterly sensational

I’ve tasted through many vintages of the top cabs and Macdonald is up there with the very best. It’s much better than the two you cited.

Hard to beat those two imo. No other wines have come close. But I guess I will have to see for myself someday!

When we last did a 16 tasting the Bryant was in the lower end of the 2nd tier behind the first tier Macdonald, SE, Materium, Thorveilos, and a couple others.

[Scott_Brunson]

I’ve tasted through many vintages of the top cabs and Macdonald is up there with the very best. It’s much better than the two you cited.

Hard to beat those two imo. No other wines have come close. But I guess I will have to see for myself someday!

When we last did a 16 tasting the Bryant was in the lower end of the 2nd tier behind the first tier Macdonald, SE, Materium, Thorveilos, and a couple others.

To my palate, I agree that Bryant is not top tier. (Materium has not done well at our top tier tastings as well)
I might plan a Scarecrow vs MACDONALD tasting soon.

[ykwon]

I agree with the assessment that Macdonald is a balance between old and new world. I’ve had a few acquired aftermarket and it has that earthiness/spice/leather that I find in Bordeaux yet it still maintains that signature California fruit. It has a crazy long finish which is up there with Scarecrow. The Macdonald brothers are up there in the upper echelons of top end Napa cabs and at release price is an absolute steal these days. It’s always a joy to open one of these for wine geek friends that have not tried it.

[dougwilder]

Since the beginning, it isn’t uncommon that we taste two bottles when I meet with Graeme and Alex at the vineyard. One was opened and decanted for 12 hours + and the other when we sit down, It is a worthwhile exercise to see what air will do to the wine. I recommend the decant or hold for up to 25+ years.

[Zachary_Mancini]

Hard to beat those two imo. No other wines have come close. But I guess I will have to see for myself someday!

When we last did a 16 tasting the Bryant was in the lower end of the 2nd tier behind the first tier Macdonald, SE, Materium, Thorveilos, and a couple others.

To my palate, I agree that Bryant is not top tier. (Materium has not done well at our top tier tastings as well)
I might plan a Scarecrow vs MACDONALD tasting soon.

Interesting on the Bryant note. I’ve always praised the the Bryant DB4 is one of the best value buys in Napa given that its spectacular and has Bryant and abreu fruit. Although they did just raise the price from 125 to 150. But then again it’s all based on palette preference. For example, people on this board rave about bevan, especially there 2018 ontogeny. I had it and although decent I didn’t find it to be all that great. I’ve had cheaper bottles that were way better. Granted the wine needs time. So again, palette preference.