Impressions From New York - Part One

We are spending a week in the city that never sleeps. After walking in Central Park and downtown, for 15+ kilometers, I need some wine before heading out to some restaurant. I found these two in a wine shop close to the apartment.

2010 Hess Napa Valley 19 Block Mountain Cuvée 
A big, round, sweet nose with lovely ripe black currants, graphite, fine tobacco and some coffee notes. A fine depth. A beautiful ripeness to the fruit. Some oak, but underlying and supporting. Very, very good.
The taste is full bodied with ripe black currants, some plummy notes, graphite, tobacco and chocolate wafers. Finely tuned tannins that dries up the finish nicely. This could evolve nicely with 3+ years in the cellar. Opened yesterday and it was even better on this night.
92p   (tasted 2014/12)

2010 Grgich Hills Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a different creature, with a more narrow and "European" character with a restrained nose with notes of barely ripe black currants, cranberries, forest floor,
The taste is young, tight and focused with a nice warmth and notes of red and black currants, unripe blueberries, warm tiles, resin and cigarette ashes. The tannins are a bit more four squared but supports the fruit and structure well. Needs time though.
91p   (tasted 2014/12)