95-97 Point Wines

wines

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

Lovely nose of black raspberries and mulberries with the oak way in the background. Concentrated and very elegant with great powdery tannins underneath. Very long, polished finish that pulls you inexorably back to the glass for more of this beauty. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2021 Pinot Noir Momtazi Vineyard opens with a seductively rich bouquet that blends crushed black cherries and cloves with violet florals and hints of cola. This impresses further with its juicy character and soft textures, displaying vividly ripe wildberry fruits offset by hints of blood orange and a mineral suggestion toward the close. The 2021 takes a turn toward the savory spectrum through the finish, leaving gently grippy tannins to resonate as hints of licorice slowly fade. This is a fantastic, complex and lively rendition of Momtazi.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 2021 Momtazi Vineyard bottling of pinot noir from Brianne Day is a beautiful wine in the making, coming in at an even thirteen percent octane and offering up beautiful purity of fruit, fine soil undertow and a lovely chassis of tannin to carry it effortlessly far into the future. The first class bouquet hops from the glass in a black fruity blend of black plums, sweet dark berries, espresso, gamebird, dark soil tones, sweet brown spices and a deft framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nicely structured, with a beautiful core of Momtazi black fruit, fine soil inflection and grip, fine-grained, buried tannins and a long, tangy and complex finish. This is a superb bottle, but it will demand some cellaring time to soften up its tannins properly and truly blossom. (Drink between 2033 - 2080)John Gilman | 93 JGBrianne Day does well pulling Pinot’s savoury character to the fore and this wine is another example. Aromatics of pine sap, sweet candied raspberries and ripe strawberries introduce the Pinot Noir from the renowned Momtazi Vineyard in the McMinnville AVA. The palate offers up early-season tart blackberries with muddled mint leaves, a touch of turned earth and chicory spice.Decanter Magazine | 92 DECIt’s starts as roller coaster ride as Tootsie Pop chocolate and pie cherry aromas pair up with Ponderosa bark and lemon-scented French laundry powder. The wine feels lithe and crisp on the palate, as flavors of raspberries, blackberries and black tea get lit up by frisky acidity. You will want to get back in line for this ride. Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

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 medium ruby-colored 2021 Pinot Noir Victoria opens up in the glass to expressive layers of framboise, candied roses, dusty earth, and fresh pine needles. Medium-bodied and elegant, it has fine tannins and a weightless feel, with fresh saline, mouthwatering finish with a mineral-toned lift. It has a hauntingly long finish and is reminiscent of what Nebbiolo can achieve. Drinking well right now, it should also do well over the next 8- 10 years. 210 cases produced.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2021 Pinot Noir Estate Victoria opens slowly in the glass, with suggestions of sage and rosemary complementing rose-tinged cherries. It sweeps across the palate with pretty red berries offset by hints of sour citrus as inner florals cascade throughout. The 2021 leaves a staining of primary concentration and dusty tannins, finishing long yet fresh with a gentle tug of fine tannins.Vinous Media | 93 VMElegance meets intensity in this Pinot, which offers expressive raspberry and pomegranate flavors accented by savory tea and river stones. Builds richness toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2032. 1,210 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA medium-bodied, well-rounded red with notes of strawberries, wild currants and crushed peppercorns. Supple yet vivid, with bright fruit and crisp acidity. The finish is succulent and in control. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

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

A good bit of this wine comes from Bishop Creek, up to one-third, though it includes five to six other sites. ‘The idea of this wine is to express both the Valley and the vintage,’ says Jean Nicolas Méo. It’s both a vineyard and barrel selection and 30% new oak. The aromatics are grounded in red florals, with touches of earth and a spritz of spiced blood orange. The palate is elegant and refined, with tart berries, a silken structure and a beautiful finish of savoury spice. We make the barrel selection for this wine first before we make our single vineyard wines. ‘These are the best sites and our best barrels from the vintage,’ says partner Jay Boberg.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2022 Pinot Noir L’Ensemble is a top 100 Wines of the Year contender. Sporting a reflective medium ruby hue in the glass, it’s pretty and inviting on opening, with pure notes of wild berries, delicate spices, crushed stones, and fresh roses. Medium-bodied on the palate, it’s refreshing and light on its feet, with fine tannins, a clean feel all the way through, and a tapered, mouthwatering finish. Seamless and pure, this is a fantastic appellation wine to enjoy over the next 10-12 years. I would snatch up a case or two to enjoy more frequently.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDElegant and pure, this pinot opens with aromas of fresh cherries, red currants, subtle flowers, dried tangerine peel and savory herbs. The palate is medium-bodied and effortlessly balanced, with silky tannins and lively acidity carrying the wine to a long, smooth, slightly spiced finish. I like the mineral tension. Better from 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSA steely version, with chiseled acidity and pinpoint notes of cranberry and cherry that are laced with stony minerality, forest floor and rose petal details as this gathers tension toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2033. 1,348 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis best barrel selection from prime Willamette Valley vineyards invites you in with aromas of rose petals, red cherries, sweet pea flowers and lemon. Crisp acidity awakens the palate to fresh flavors of boysenberries, rosemary and orange zest. L’Ensemble’s tannins are as silky as its texture. To quote the Fine Young Cannibals, the L’Ensemble is a "Good Thing." Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2022 Pinot Noir L’Ensemble is a total pleasure to take in, mixing wild blueberries and cherries with sweet spice and hints of cola. This is fruit-forward yet refined, with juicy acidity and bitter tinges of clove and citrus that add contrast throughout. It tapers off with medium length, leaving a tart cranberry crunchiness and a pleasantly chewy sensation that persists.Vinous Media | 92 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

This impeccably structured version shows a simmering intensity that remains graceful on the palate, with detailed raspberry flavors that draw in accents of forest floor and rose petal as this builds tension and richness toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2034. 553 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe Summum comes from the lowest-yielding vines in the La Source parcel and this wine is made with 33% whole cluster. The aromatics balance elegance with deep umami character. Elements of turned earth and smoky rose petals play off against tart blackberries and blood oranges. The palate shows a concentration of fruit yielding freshness throughout. Plum skin and blackberries with mint are given over to savoury herbs, mouthfuls of dried violets, turned earth, smoked sea salt and a hint of nori, a wonderful display of umami and forest floor.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECMade from the oldest vines on the Seven Springs property, this medium-bodied and complex wine seamlessly blends savory notes of black tea and bay leaves with tart cherry, strawberry, raspberry and mushroom undertones. Best from 2027.James Suckling | 96 JSThe newest Summum is a showstopper. Fresh, floral aromas of mainland roses and tropical plumeria flowers join together with tart red raspberry and roasted pork shoulder notes. A crisp mouthfeel and texture showcase flavors like Rainier cherries, lime and bittersweet dark chocolate. Pour this with grilled portobello mushrooms and Coltrane’s “Giant Steps.”Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2022 Pinot Noir Summum is perfumed with peppery florals and dusty lavender, complementing crushed wild berries. This is full of energy, cooling and racy, with depths of tart red fruit cascading beneath an air of violet and rose. It takes on a grippy sensation as fine tannins mount toward the close. The Summum is fermented using 30-40% whole clusters and refined in 60% new French oak.Vinous Media | 95 VMFermented with whole clusters, the 2022 Pinot Noir Summum unfurls dramatically on the nose, wafts of tar and underbrush giving way to cranberry, autumn leaves and dried flowers. The medium-bodied palate has a concentrated core of nuanced fruit. It’s structured by silky tannins and vibrant acidity and has a long, bitters-laced finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2022 Summum Pinot Noir is an outstanding young wine. Like the la Source bottling this year, the wine comes in at 13.2 percent octane and offers up a superb and utterly refined bouquet of black cherries, sweet dark berries, raw cocoa, dark soil tones, pigeon, woodsmoke and a gentle framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, tangy and precise, with a great core of black fruit, superb soil transparency and grip, ripe, fine-grained tannins and laser-like focus on the long, complex and nascently complex finish. As I have mentioned before, the Summum bottling is made from the same parcels of vines as the la Source, with the team at Evening Land making a vineyard selection of the very finest bunches to be dedicated to this cuvée. This will need an extended period of hibernation, but it will be outstanding once it is ready to go. (Drink between 2037 - 2075)John Gilman | 94 JG

A totally classic bouquet of mint leaf, bell pepper and crushed raspberries meets a beautiful complement of white smoke as the 2022 Cabernet Franc blossoms in the glass. This washes across the palate with a contrasting blend of sweet spices and tart wild berry fruits, taking on a tactile mineral crunch and depths of exotic spice toward the close. Silky within, yet grippy and sinewy through the finish, this finishes impossibly long and staining.Vinous Media | 96 VM

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

Dark berry aromas with some graphite and stone. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins that are creamy and polished. Succulent and very long. Juicy finish. Lovely tension and drinkability already. Blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, aged 35 months in barrels. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JS

The 2022 Pinot Noir Old Vines has explosive aromas of raspberry, strawberry, tangerine, licorice, fern and amaro. The light-bodied palate is just as gregarious, bursting with fruit and spice that accent a concentrated core of berry fruit. It has a luxuriously silky texture, fireworks of fresh acidity and a very long, layered finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA floral nose with violets and rose petals leading the way. This comes from two old vine sites in the Dundee Hills. It was not affected by the frost in 2022, winemaker Jim Maresh got to use his primary shoots, and that means the wine stays concentrated. Weber Vineyard is a quarter mile from Maresh Vineyard on Worden Hill Road. Gobs of fresh berries, savoury dried anise, and bramble fruits mark the palate.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2022 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Old Vines is remarkably pretty, cascading up from the glass with a vibrant blend of minty herbs and crushed cherries complemented by hints of cola and spice. This has energy to spare, silken in feel with ripe red berry fruits that envelop the senses. It takes on a darker shade toward the close as tactile minerals saturate. A bump of juicy acidity enlivens the finish as sweet tannins tug at the senses and notes of blood orange slowly fade. The 2022 is like a well-muscled dancer. It’s already so likable that many collectors may not have the patience to watch it fully mature. The Dundee Hills Old Vines is sourced from vines that average 41 years old, all Pommard clones, sourced from 75% Maresh and 25% Weber Vineyard.Vinous Media | 94 VMAn elegantly dynamic red, with vibrant cherry and cranberry flavors highlighted by black tea and forest floor tones as this sails along the steely finish. Drink now through 2032. 900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This opulent Malbec-forward blend delivers loads of crushed blueberry, black plum, coffee and sage aromas on the nose, while the palate displays hearty tannic structure with lavish acidity and flavors of currant, cassis, shattered granite, dark chocolate and licorice. Rest this in the cellar for a decade or more and grill the biggest steak you can find.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2022 Bordeaux Red Blend is a blend of 36% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and a splash of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. A more saturated red color, it’s pretty and floral with hints of mocha, purple flowers, black raspberries, and red-fruited highlights. The palate is full and ripe, with a plush and well-detailed feel and a long finish. Although it offers more immediate appeal in the vintage, it should have a wide window to show its best over the next 12-15 years. 8,470 cases were produced.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA vibrant, layered blend of 36% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and a final 5% of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this wine brings freshness and perfume to the classic Bordeaux framework. The nose opens with a mix of black and red berries, wet roses, and subtle green undertones that add aromatic tension. On the palate, it’s compact, with dusty tannins and a warm finish that carries notes of spiced cocoa. A wine that feels both youthful and has the structure to evolve.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2022 Bordeaux Red Blend is composed of 36% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Matured for 18 months in 50% new French oak, it bursts from the glass with pure red cherry and pomegranate perfume, unfurling nuances of lavender, forest floor and glossy new oak as it opens in the glass. The medium-bodied palate features generous, floral fruit. It’s structured by powdery tannins and juicy acidity and has a long, layered finish. 8,470 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPAn elegant but rich and ripe Bordeaux-style blend that’s not too tight with tannins and features broad, opulent black fruit flavors and generous oak spices. Full-bodied, sleek and luxurious. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is clearly one of the successes in the vintage. With a deep purple hue as well as gorgeous aromatics of ripe blackcurrants, darker chocolate, roasted herbs, and graphite, it hits the palate with a medium to full-bodied texture, a round, layered, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s a classic, ripe, textured, stunningly balanced 2022 that will drink beautifully over two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDJust bottled, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is an attractive wine. Crushed flowers, red cherry, red plum, lavender and spice open nicely. The 2022 shows the mid-weight structure of the year, with fine balance and an understated personality that is typical of this vintage. Readers will find an enjoyable wine but one that clearly lacks the dimension and dynamic energy of the very finest vintages.Vinous Media | 93 VMOffers a dark plum and warmed cassis core coated with melted black licorice, all backed by burnished alder and walnut husk accents. A spectre of scorched earth lurks on the finish, but with the fruit to handle it. An admirable effort. Drink now through 2036. 550 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

A tightly focused beam of bitter cherry, damson plum and raspberry coulis streams through this red, with mouthwatering cut in the form of ocean breeze minerality that runs throughout. Iris and rose hip notes fill in the background as the long, piercing finish shows a remarkably pure and unadorned feel. A high-definition Pinot. Drink now through 2035. 3,650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2023 Pinot Noir Freestone Occidental Bodega is a well of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, plus nuances of grapefruit, tea leaves, cola and bitters. The light-bodied palate offers crunchy, perfumed flavors framed by dusty tannins and vibrant acidity, and it has a long, latent finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

From a mostly decomposed granite, 1600-feet-elevation, northeast-facing site with different exposures, the 2023 Pinot Noir Michaud Vineyard is the first vintage for Smith from this vineyard, which he calls as old school and rugged as Chalone. Earth, black tea, and gravelly rock highlight an elegantly poised, complex, floral, and mineral wine that shows both dustiness in texture and ample structure for aging. Cellar through 2037.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe cranberry aromas on the nose of this bottling is layered in cedar, pine duff and dried mushroom scents on the complex nose of this bottling. Cherry, red currant and cranberry flavors are cut by graphite and sandalwood on the savory palate. This is a very young wine from an appellation that always benefits from age. Drink now-2040.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard is sensational. Powerful and deep, there is almost no sensation of tannin, but it’s all there. Graphite, inky dark fruit, menthol, licorice, chocolate and sage are some of the many notes that infuse the 2023 with its character and personality. This is one of the most captivating wines I have tasted from Russell Bevan.Vinous Media | 98-100 VMThe 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard has a similar inky purple/ruby hue to go with sensational aromatics of red, blue, and black fruit as well as crushed stone, iron, baking spice, and leather. This wine is dense, rich, and full-bodied, with a monster of a palate, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It’s going to require just a few years in the cellar, but this is another tour de force from Bevan.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-100 JDBevan’s 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard comes from a site in eastern Oakville, alongside the Silverado Trail. This vintage shows Ribena-like purity in its cassis aromas, plus a delicate hint of dried sage. It’s full-bodied on the palate, chunky and intense but maybe lacking a bit of finesse compared to some other years. At this level of quality that’s a quibble, as it’s concentrated and long on the finish, a super example of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that should drink well for close to two decades.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RP