95-97 Point Wines

wines

Translucent ruby, the 2019 Pinot Noir Los Alamos Vineyard, from the warmer, sandy Los Alamos region, was mostly destemmed (15% stems) and spent 18 months in 15% new barrels. A wonderful perfume of mulled cherries, baking spices, dried herbs, flowers, and forest floor gives way to a medium-bodied, ethereally styled, balanced, graceful Pinot Noir with light tannins and a great finish. It’s all about finesse and elegance, and it’s a beautiful, seamless Pinot Noir.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDQuite light in the glass, this bottling by Gavin Chanin offers aromas of pomegranate, red currant, hibiscus and white pepper on a nose that bounces from bright to juicy. The palate is a tad richer and more rounded, offering cherry and strawberry as well as underlying sagebrush flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2019 Pinot Noir Los Alamos Vineyard is laced with the essence of crushed red berry fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and mint. Readers will find an airy, gracious Pinot built on a whole range of floral and savory accents. The 15% whole clusters are expertly judged. Silky and beautifully perfumed, the Los Alamos Pinot is pure seduction.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

The 2019 Grenache 2 2 Tango is terrific. A blend of 76% Grenache, 15% Graciano, and the rest Syrah, sourced from multiple sites throughout the Central Coast (mostly Ballard Canyon), it has a cool, lively, incredibly elegant style to go with textbook Grenache notes of red and blue fruits, ground pepper, and herbes de Provence. It has fabulous purity of fruit, and I’m a fan. Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2019 Grenache 2 2 Tango is a blend of Grenache, Graciano and Syrah. Boisterous and racy in the glass, the 2019 has a lot going on. Bright red berry/plum fruit, licorice and spice all open in the glass. This is an exuberant style, but the tannins are pretty fierce. Give it a year to soften.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

The 2019 Tench Vineyard EE Red Wine checks in as a 60/40 split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from two different vineyards. The Cabernet Franc really stands out, and the wine has a complex, forest floor, herbal, bouquet garni-like character as well notes of woodsmoke, iron, and blue fruits. Full-bodied on the palate, it has some background chocolaty oak, a great mid-palate, and a heck of a finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA 60-40 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Proprietary Red EE Tench Vineyard features leafy, minty nuances and hints of tobacco set against a backdrop of redcurrants. Full-bodied and ripe but remarkably elegant, it finishes supple and long, with a delectable silky texture. It’s undeniably sexy, but I have to admit I didn’t pick up on the "hot chick-just-done-with-Pilates pheromone quality" that Bevan described.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2019 Red Wine EE Tench Vineyard is compelling. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc works so well here. A whole range of floral and savory notes give the 2019 its striking presence. Raspberry jam, blood orange, kirsch and spice add inner perfume and polish. The 2019 EE is such an alluring wine.Antonio Galloni | 94-97 AG

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Ceniza Vineyard comes from the cooler Coombsville region and offers a deep purple color as well as thrilling notes of ripe blueberries, black cherries, dark tobacco, and earth. It has wonderful purity on the palate and is medium to full-bodied, has ripe tannins, awesome overall balance, and one great finish. This seriously good juice will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and should have two decades of overall longevity, if not more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JD

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hen Vineyard from the Oak Knoll District in the southern part of the valley is similarly inky purple/ruby-hued to go with more elegant, medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, black raspberry, spring flowers, and cedar pencil. It’s fresh, lively, focused, and beautifully balanced, and can be drunk any time over the coming 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis is another stunning vintage of this small-production wine, the result of a partnership between Winemaker Maayan Koschitzky and wine growers Miguel Luna and Pete Richmond. Ageable and structured, it opens in dark, brooding tannin, oak and sage, with a thickness to the palate. Notes of crushed rock and iron complement layers of cassis and black cherry.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Fragrant and so scented on the nose, inviting and cool. The classic blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc is smooth and supple on the palate, crisp and crunchy yet smooth and silky and also slightly chewy and bouncy. A lovey combination of power and focus, this has drive and sculpt, nuance and detail. Excellent presentation, really fills the palate with juice, energy brightness. Lovely length and overall structure, fels well worked, full but not overpowering, rich but not overly alcoholic - a wonderful presentation and totally delicious. Winemakers Naoko Dalla Valle and Andy Erickson.Decanter Magazine | 99 DECPerhaps there’s a subtle added touch of leafy complexity to the 2020 Maya that the Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t show, but otherwise, this 60-40 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is reasonably similar, with black cherries, dark loamy notes, hints of cassis, cedar and vanilla. It’s medium to full-bodied, richly textured and tannic but with a slightly open-knit feel and a ripe, softly wooly finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2020 Maya, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-purple in color. It offers up bright, lively notes of redcurrant jelly, black raspberries, and mulberries plus nuances of wild sage, lavender, and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively and refreshing, with fine-grained tannins supporting the vibrant red and black berry layers, finishing long and earthy.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIEven better, the 2020 Maya Proprietary Red Wine checks in as the usual blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, and it’s another full-bodied example of this cuvée that has a brilliant core of both red and black fruits as well as dark chocolate, leafy tobacco, spring flowers, and a kiss of chalky minerality. Structured, concentrated, and perfectly balanced, it doesn’t get any better in 2020.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDSubtle yet transparent blackberry, black licorice and cassis bush. Some sage and lavender as well. Graphite, too. Full-bodied, yet tight and poised on the palate, with tight and refined tannins that are compact in the mouth. They are layered and run vertically down the wine. Turns nicely austere at the end. Very well done for the vintage. Give this three to four years to open up.James Suckling | 96 JSFeatures a cassis and black cherry fruit core flanked by a prominent tobacco note, with a loamy edge driving through as well. The slightly taut finish is underscored by alder and warm paving stone accents. Shows its Cabernet Franc side more than the Cabernet Sauvignon component. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2035. 700 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Aromas of currants, blackberries, fresh mushrooms and flowers. Medium-bodied with compacted fruit and integrated, fine tannins. Ripe fruit with reserve. Attractive and alluring. Excellent structure. 88% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Give it at least five years to open and soften, but very attractive now.James Suckling | 95 JS

This shows a lot of class, with aromas of blackcurrants, graphite, blueberries, dried flowers, black truffles and a touch of forest floor. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, with seamless tannins that goes on and on. Endless. Blackcurrants, dark mushrooms and violets with hints of fresh rose stems and light herbs. Velvety texture. A blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Better after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Napanook is one heck of a Napanook, offering complex notes of currants, cassis, graphite, leafy tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate. Incredible on the palate, it’s full-bodied and round, with supple, vibrant, incredible tannins. This is easily the finest vintage I’ve tasted of this cuvée and it’s the equivalent of many a Grand Vin from other producers.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2021 Napanook, tasted from barrel, is fabulous. Rich, deep and super-expressive, the 2021 captures all the best the vintage has to offer. A whole range of floral and savory overtones lend nuance. This vibrant, intensely mineral Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute delight to taste today, and an especially fine edition of Napanook, endowed with big fruit and equally potent tannins.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

The 2021 Sage Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has an opaque purple-black color. It comes barreling out of the glass with vivacious black raspberries, black currant jelly, and mulberries scents, leading to touches of rose oil, bay leaves, cedar chest, and graphite, with a hint of cardamom. The big, concentrated, full-on, full-bodied palate completely coats the mouth with decadent black fruit preserves layers, supported by firm yet plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIFrom a site north of Lake Hennessey, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Sage Ridge Vineyard (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) has more red and black fruits as well as a kiss of bloody, iron-like nuances in its tapenade, violets, and incense-driven aromatics. Brought up all in new barrels, it has a forward, layered, mouth-filling texture, nicely integrated tannins, and terrific overall balance. It has plenty of upfront appeal even today, yet I wouldn’t be surprised to see this close down slightly within a year or three of bottle age. It should have upwards of two decades of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA showy version, with hibiscus and anise notes glistening atop a range of cassis, cherry and boysenberry puree flavors. The licorice-accented finish is long and focused. Drink now through 2036. 100 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This beautiful wine comes from this Rutherford site that was first planted in 1895 by Mrs. Thomas Rutherford. This 300-acre parcel first purchased by Beaulieu founder Georges de Latour in 1928 and called Beaulieu Vineyard Number 3. Inky in the glass, this offers an opulent texture once on the mouth. Layers of creme de cassis, anise, graphite, creme de violette, tar and allspice dusted black cherry all brilliantly combine on the palate, with loamy soil accents. A joy to drink now in its full-throttle youth, enjoy this brilliant new wine now and over the next twenty plus years to come. Drink 2024-2044Owen Bargreen | 96 OBSojourn gets Clone 337 from F Block in this historic vineyard, formerly known as Beaulieu Vineyard No. 3. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Vineyard Georges III aged in 75% new French oak before being bottled in June 2023. It’s true to its Rutherford roots, showing dusty earth notes on the nose alongside bright cherries and deeper mocha and dried-spice undertones. It’s full-bodied but somehow seems less rich than its 14.7% alcohol implies, cruising across the mid-palate in a flurry of soft tannins and finishing long and firm, with hints of dark chocolate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPRipe and juicy berries and plums are mixed through with nutmeg, cinnamon and cocoa for a lush, abundant palate of flavor. This richly present 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, from one of Napa’s iconic vineyards, combines layers of oak spice with a velvety texture and a mouthfilling finish.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

Like a majority of the Sojourn 2021 Pinot Noirs, the Gap’s Crown is also aged in 50% new French oak but sees approximately 15% whole cluster during fermentation. This Pinot Noir is always one of my favorites coming out of the Sonoma Coast, and the Sojourn 2021 is another beautiful example. A shimmering ruby-garnet core with a blueish rim in the glass, it assembles bountiful notes of dark cherry compote, fresh black raspberry, spiced blue plum skin, brown mushroom, salty sea breeze, liquid chocolate, and hints of dried lemongrass. Complex, engaging, and downright delicious, this should be a wine that everyone should seek out to try. 1025 cases were produced. Better in 2023 and then enjoy for the next 12–15 years. Highly recommended and editor’s choice.International Wine Report | 97 IWRThe 2021 Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard brings forward significantly more freshness and outstanding purity, with notes of ripe black cherry, scorched earth, and crushed violets that move seamlessly to a full-bodied palate with a satin texture, fine tannins, and notes of ripe wild raspberry, pressed herbs, and baking spices. With a pleasing freshness on the finish, this is a very attractive wine to drink over the next 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDLots of sliced strawberry and hibiscus with some sea salt here, but not overpowering. The palate is firm and racy with sleek and energetic tannins that run the length of the wine. Fresh and crisp with a citrus undertone at the end. Drinkable but better in a year or two.James Suckling | 93 JSDelivers a lovely, pure streak of pomegranate, damson plum and cherry fruit, gilded with light floral and savory notes and tinged with a mineral edge through the finish. Shows a nice racy feel from start to finish. Drink now through 2030. 1,025 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Wight Vineyard ratchets up the intensity and is a blockbuster styled effort in the vintage. Blackberries, plums, roasted herbs, chocolate, and flowery incense notes all define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, with a plush, seamless mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It benefits from air and should be given just 2-3 years of bottle age. This ripe, opulent, incredibly sexy 2021 will evolve for 2 decades if well stored.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD

Leading off the 2021s I was able to taste from Maybach, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Amoenus is flat-out brilliant and has a layered, perfumed, almost exotic style in its black and blue fruits as well as spicy, floral, incense, orange blossom, and gravelly earth-like aromas and flavors. It shows the concentrated yet vibrant, focused style of the vintage, has full-bodied richness, beautiful tannins, and a gorgeous finish. This powerful, structured, incredibly impressive Cabernet Sauvignon deserves 4-5 years in the cellar and will evolve for two decades at a minimum.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDFrom a cool pocket in otherwise warm Calistoga, Maybach’s 2021 Amoenus Cabernet Sauvignon features aristocratic notes of crushed stone, cassis, black cherries and cedary overtones. A marked contrast to the sumptuous, seductive 2019, the 2021 is also full-bodied and concentrated but with a firm structure and plentiful tannins. It’s even rather stern at this stage of its development but should be fine with some time in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPAmoenus Vineyard is a rugged 19ha site of volcanic soils planted in Calistoga and owned by Turnbull. Thomas Rivers Brown has done well by the grapes from this site. This is one of his brightest wines of the 2021 vintage, with pronounced acidity that raises the bar on Napa Valley Cabernet freshness. Its decisively red-fruited nose is quite floral-driven, which carries through on the wine’s medium-bodied palate. A floor of racy acidity provides lift to the red currant and raspberry fruit, with nuances of white cherry and cherry pit. Angular, grippy tannins need some time to mellow. One to enjoy with a burger or pan-seared salmon. Certainly a wine to cellar and pull out now and again over a decade.Decanter | 94 DEC

Dry-farmed Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes are aged 20 months in mostly neutral French oak barrels. Unfined and unfiltered. A rather dark, meaty, and savoury expression from this iconic Rutherford Estate helmed by founder and proprietor John Williams. Opaque ruby in colour shows black olive, dusty earth, and graphite. Medium-bodied and intensely perfumed on the palate, wit builds in elegance, almost defying its rather muscular aromatic profile. Fresh, balanced, quite complex, and quite cellar-worthy.Decanter | 95 DECOne of the founding practitioners of organic and dry farming in Napa Valley, Frog’s Leap offers a classic approach to Cabernet Sauvignon. Along with flavors of black currant and blackberry, this wine offers lingering spices, lightly tactile tannins and mouthwatering acidity. The wine is both pleasing and perfect for a range of foods from savory mushrooms and risotto, to grass fed beef. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEWell-rounded, fruit-driven and chalky. The nose expresses aromas of blackberries, sweet cherries and earth. It’s medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins. Mellow with a fruity and chewy finish. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 91 JSRipe red and black fruits, darker chocolate, and some smoky tobacco notes all emerge from the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown, a nicely balanced, elegant, impressive Cabernet Sauvignon from this team that has ripe tannins and outstanding length.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

The 2021 Pinot Noir Estate Bottled unfolds with a blockbuster bouquet of macerated red cherry, lavender, new leather and clove. Aged in 40% new French oak for ten to eleven months, it’s broad and ample on the palate. Layers of fresh berry fruit, supple tannins and gentle citrus succulence introduce a wine of extreme class and pedigree. The tannins are just so refined, and the delineation of flavors is superb. Vivid, lively, meticulous and calibrated, this is a testament to the heights attainable with Pinot Noir in the Santa Cruz Mountains.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2021 Pinot Noir has bright, fresh, lifted red fruit and citrus with a wealth of balanced acidity. Aged sur lees for 11 months, it is bottled unfiltered, barrel to barrel rack in March so it can rack from barrel to tank for bottling without picking up lees. The grapes are grown on five separate vineyards and blended together, exuding mountain terroir of earthy pine, tea, and raspberry, layered in waves of juicy texture. Enjoy best 2028-2036.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2021 Pinot Noir Estate is a pretty and ethereal rendition of the Mount Eden style, offering inviting, red-fruited and forest floor aromas framed with judicious use of new oak. The palate is lively, buoyant and medium-bodied, leading to an energetic finish supported by cleansing acidity and youthful, fine tannins. Still quite tight and inward throughout, this should start unfolding in 3-4 years and continue to reward for over a decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPConcentrated with savoury elegance and a depth of rose petal florality. There’s a tingly acidity that enlivens this wine, accompanied by notes of white pepper, cardamom, and an array of exotic spices. Taut, racy and with savoury edges of mint and wild herbs.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECBay laurel, sage and an almost coniferous note on the nose. The structured palate shows tea tannins, mixed cherries and birch. Impressive balance and length. Great bones. Needs time, but will justify patience.James Suckling | 93 JS

Anthem’s tightly coiled, concentrated 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard recalls the site’s rocky soils in its hints of crushed stones on the nose, backed by black cherries, sage, cedar and dried spices. It’s full-bodied and dense, possesses plenty in reserve for the long haul and boasts a long, tannic finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPComing from a great vineyard in St. Helena and aged 18 months in 95% new French oak, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard reveals red and black fruits, chocolate, smoked tobacco, and spicy wood notes. Full-bodied and rich on the palate, with a broad, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish, it will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and will have 20-25+ years of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDRich and full bodied with abundant flavor, this wine dances across the palate with lavish flavors of spices, smoked chicory and cedar. It’s lush and persistent, with fine tannins and juicy acidity. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Cathiard Vineyard’s 2021 Hora Red from Napa Valley blends 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 10% Malbec, sourced primarily from benchland blocks and aged in oak for 14 months. A combination of gentle extraction, whole berry ferment, and the addition of Malbec provides lifted aromatics on a stunning, compact, and precise wine that exudes pure blackberry and black currant fruit aromas laced with cedarwood spices. Fine tannins and pronounced mid-palate depth create a wonderfully seamless mouthfeel, leading with saline-tinged blackberry fruits, cassis, and red currants. It’s a very polished red with a richness that is evident but not overstated.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECLovely aromas of spices with some mahogany, red currants and perfume. It’s medium-bodied with very fine tannins and a bright and clean finish. No need to wait on this. A blend of 55% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot and 10% malbec. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSA handsomely built red, with a tense core wrapped in richly layered currant, mocha espresso and toasty spice flavors that gather richness toward medium-grained tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Drink now through 2032. 1,650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2021 Hora is the entry-level wine from the Cathiards’ estate in Napa, and it’s a balanced, medium to full-bodied, impressive wine offering ample red and black currant fruit, nicely integrated oak, a round, layered mouthfeel, and ripe yet building tannins. It’s impeccably made, blossoms nicely with time in the glass, and should have no problem evolving gracefully over the coming 10-12 years, if not longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2021 Hora is composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 10% Malbec. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts with bold notes of blackberry preserves, juicy black cherries, and warm cassis with touches of candied violets, dark chocolate, and menthol. The full-bodied palate is rich and plush, with nice tension to offset the opulent fruit, finishing with impressive length.The Wine Independent | 93 TWIThe 2021 Hora is deep, pliant and super-expressive right out of the gate. Plush contours wrap around a core of black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice and incense. All the elements are impeccably balance in this sumptuous, racy red from Cathiard. What an engaging wine this is.Vinous Media | 92 VMSourced from younger vines on the valley floor portion of the property, the 2021 Hora Red Wine is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 10% Malbec matured 14 months in 40% new French oak. Gently floral and herbal (thyme?), this cherry-fruited wine is medium to full-bodied, softly dusty in feel and easy to drink, with gentle tannins and a lingering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper is a total dream. Sumptuous and racy with notes of blackberry jam, cloves, menthol, licorice and chocolate. The blend of three blocks and three clones (4, 144 and 337) is so complementary. The 2021 is magnificent. An archetype of modern Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 is super elegant, polished and refined from start to finish. What a knockout.Vinous Media | 97+ VMWinemaker Helen Keplinger came here in 2014 and has consistently been making beautiful wines. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard offers a pretty, medium to full-bodied, more elegant style as well as a terrific array of red, blue, and black fruits supported by floral and violet notes. It has perfectly integrated background oak, fine, polished tannins, and a great finish. It’s incredibly impressive, and while it already has some appeal, it’s going to evolve for 20 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis is a very plush and complex wine with blackberry, tobacco and pistachio nut character. The cut-velvet texture is really something and gives a tension and framing to the wine. Extremely long and flavorful, yet always bright and in focus. Needs four or five years to come together. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 97 JSA flash of menthol gives way quickly to stylish aromas and flavors of violet, plum compote and blackberry preserves. A lovely version, with a hint of licorice snap pumping through the well-toasted finish, where the fruit hangs steadily. Best from 2025 through 2038. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2021 Red Wine California is a new Bordeaux-based red wine that Duncan Arnot and Nathan Roberts made initially to take the place of the 2020 Cabernets that would have been released around this time but were compromised by smoke. The Red Wine was initially intended to be a fun project, but Arnot and Roberts may have stumbled into what is really a pretty serious red with real potential. The 2021 is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (Massa, Bedrock and Gordenker), 20% Cabernet Franc (Persia) and 20% Merlot (Massa). A powerful, old-school wine, the 2021 is going to need a few years to shed some tannin. I loved it.Vinous Media | 95+ VM

The 2022 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it prances out of the glass with showy scents of violets, dark chocolate, juicy blueberries, and kirsch, leading to hints of menthol, cedar chest, and Chinese five spice. The medium to full-bodied palate offers layers of exotic spices and earthy nuances, supported by firm, lightly chewy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with epic length. That classic To Kalon power really comes through on the finish!The Wine Independent | 97 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard is supple and juicy, qualities that will be best appreciated on the early side. It offers tons of forward appeal, if not quite the dimension, power of intensity of the best years. There’s no way to get past the challenges of the brutal heat here.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2022 Houyi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon 12% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored it is quite closed at the moment needing a lot of coaxing to bring out notes of plum preserves blueberry compote and black cherries giving way to hints of tar star anise and cumin seed. Full-bodied the palate is dense with black fruit preserves layers supported by firm grainy tannins and just enough freshness finishing long and opulent. Houyi Vineyard was picked through the 2022 heatwave. This fruit needed a lot of selection (nearly 30% of the fruit was discarded) making this a stellar effort. Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown Review date: 2024-09-12The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard is a dense, explosive wine. It shows the radiant, solar style of the year but with the body and texture that so many wines lack. This is the first vintage Realm made following their acquisition of this site, and they conducted the heaviest sorting here. Super-ripe red cherry, red plum, mocha, spice, lavender and orange peel stain the palate. This is a stellar wine for the year.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2022 Moonracer Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it shimmies out of the glass with energetic scents of red currant jelly, Morello cherries, mint tea, and rose oil, followed by suggestions of clove oil, cinnamon toast, and graphite. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers lightly chewy tannins and impressive freshness to frame the baking spice-laced red berry flavors, finishing with a minty lift.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Moonracer is a pretty, open-knit wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Crushed flowers, red-toned fruit, mint, cinnamon and orange peel open nicely with a bit of time in the glass. Pretty floral overtones add freshness to this silky, mid-weight Cabernet Sauvignon.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Blending 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot, and lovingly referred to as Baby Monte Bello, designated as Monte Bello since the 2008 vintage, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Monte Bello Vineyard is known for its weightlessness, made to be approachable in its youth with great intention. Barrel-aged for 17 months in 50-60% new oak to integrate and soften the tannins, it still has another 15-20 years of aging, if not 25.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe grape that founded the Montebello estate, the Ridge Cabernet, is a Montebello-grown wine made from fruit that doesn’t contribute to the flagship, Montebello bottling. It tends to be more accessible in its youth and is softer in its profile. 2022 was the third straight drought year, with low yields and concentrated, small berries with ample tannin. The wine sees 17 months in 50% new American oak, and you pick that up in the aromatics, with a note of sweet tobacco leaf. The palate, however, is loaded with verve, bright saline minerality and taut early-season black fruits on soaring fresh acidity.Decanter Magazine | 95 DEC

The first-ever Estate Pinot Noir from Ramey, sourced from the family’s home ranch, Westside Farms, which neighbours Williams-Selyem and Rochioli. This historic site has been farmland since the mid-1800s and borders a mile and a half of the Russian River. "Context is important, especially in a challenging vintage," says Alan Ramey. To illustrate this, they presented the wine side by side with an Échezeaux Grand Cru. "Temperatures are changing, and Burgundy is getting warmer. Our wine has nearly the same TA, pH, and ABV, yet the style is slightly different—and then there’s the value play… this Burgundy costs about $300 more than ours. We want to show that our wines can stand alongside those at much higher price points." Ramey ferments in stainless steel before transferring to a barrel, whereas the Burgundy was fermented in a barrel with 100% new French oak. The Ramey Estate Pinot Noir is aged in approximately 40–50% new French oak. The wine displays beautiful vibrancy, with a light- to medium-bodied character and a gentle sweetness to its red-fruited core. Blood orange acidity and elevated, velvety tannins add a crisp edge. The long finish carries layers of red berry fruit, blood orange, clove, coriander cream, sassafras, and pressed wildflowers, all underpinned by hints of loamy, sandy earth. Savoury and bone dry, with remarkable intensity balanced by freshness.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2022 Estate Pinot Noir Westside Farms is the inaugural release of Pinot Noir from the Ramey family’s Westside Farms ranch. It comes from vines planted in clay-loam soils along the Russian River in 2001. The grapes were harvested on August 18 and 19, before the Labor Day heat wave, and only free-run juice was included. It was fermented in tank with 25% whole clusters and matured for 18 months in 45% new French François Frères barrels. It has a pale ruby color and open, inviting aromas of cranberry sauce, rhubarb, blood orange, allspice and Angostura bitters. The medium-bodied palate surprises with its highly concentrated, layered flavors and is lent complexity by emerging earthy nuances. It’s structured by lacy tannins and vibrant acidity and has a very long, layered finish. It will benefit from several years in the cellar. It will be released in September of 2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2022 Pinot Noir Westside Farms is a bright red color and has a spiced profile with notes of ripe cherries, strawberries, toasted spices, and forest floor. The palate is highly elegant, with a medium-bodied frame, and it has an elegant freshness, refined tannins, and an even finish. (Ramey did a wonderful job of keeping elegance and freshness in this vintage.) It’s going to be released in the fall and will have a wide window for enjoyment over the next 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDWonderful savory, woodsy aromas and good, complex dark berry and black plum flavors in this full-bodied, moderately tannic wine. Elements of pine, redwood bark, bay laurel, black raspberries and wood smoke. Made using one-fourth whole clusters, with skin contact of three weeks and barrel aged for 20 months, all of which emphasize the savory aspects. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSOffers streamlined raspberry and blood orange coulis notes infused with a light potpourri accent through the finish, which is marked by pretty perfume. Drink now through 2027. 428 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Chocolate, cherry and rose petal aromas on the nose. Very open and alive - this has a great energy from the aromatics alone with soft cedar shavings, vanilla bean and bramble fruit. Juicy and lively, this is full of fun - fruity and concentrated. The tannins are just wonderful, creamy and slightly grippy, extending the flavours vertically. Tons of juicy, succulent fruit - this feels quite modern but still with that flash of sunshine and ripeness. Long lasting with purity and delicacy that make it so enjoyable. A wonderful creation from Michael Silacci. This is not your typical blockbuster at all, this is a darling of a wine. 0.5% Malbec completes the blend. The Opus team chose to pick early and quickly given the heat spikes in 2022, starting with the Merlot on 24th August. Ageing 18 months in French oak.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECGenerous, with savory aromas of ripe blackcurrants and fresh black cherries and a gentle texture that shows a slight nip of tannin. It is well structured and a bit tight, which is normal for a young cabernet sauvignon-based red that’s a proven collectible. Gives up graphite and pencil shavings, some cocoa and espresso. Full-bodied. Spicy, toasty oak is really showing through right now. Best from 2028.James Suckling | 96 JSPicked before, during and after the year’s early September heat, the 2022 Opus One—a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 0.5% Malbec—admirably reflects the vintage, boasting a ripe, extroverted personality but also a slightly open-knit, coarser mouthfeel than either the 2021 or 2023. Rosemary and sandalwood notes accent cherries on the nose, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is expansive and plush, finishing with ample length and soft tannins.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2022 Opus One was tasted as a barrel sample. Deep garnet-purple in color, it soars with eager-to-go notes of blackcurrant pastilles, juicy blackberries, and plum preserves leading to hints of crushed rocks, tree bark, and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and impactful, with a firm line of ripe, grainy tannins and bags of black fruit preserves layers, finishing with loads of savory nuances and a compelling lift.The Wine Independent | 95-97 TWIThe 2022 Opus One shows the sunny, perfumed style of the vintage. Black raspberries, smoked tobacco, incense, and spicy wood notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a supple, layered mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. I’ve been lucky enough to do many retrospectives of this wine, so I have no doubt it will evolve gracefully for a solid two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2022 Opus One is a soft, relatively easygoing wine from an extremely challenging vintage in which the estate decided to pick straight through the heat. The 2022 offers terrific brightness throughout. Today, the tannins are a bit searing in their intensity, so it will be interesting to see how things ultimately shake out here. I find the 2022 is a bit edgy in its contours at this stage.Vinous Media | 92+ VM