Cabernet Sauvignon Wines

wines

Along with the 2015, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is one of the greatest wines made at this property. Deep, powerful, layered, and incredibly concentrated, it has the classic bluer fruits of this estate as well as notes of graphite, chocolate, spring flowers, and bouquet garni. Opening up with time in the glass, it’s a rich, thrilling wine in just about every sense. Give bottles another 3-4 years and it’s going to have 2-3 decades of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDBoth 2013 Cabernet Sauvignons are in bottle, and both are absolutely magnificent wines, probably the two finest Cabernets made by the Staglins to date. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford (14.9% alcohol) has a stunning fragrance of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers (or is it violets?), sweet blackcurrant and black raspberry fruit, and a layered, opulent, rich and full-bodied mouthfeel. Add to that striking purity, equilibrium, and serious but finely grained tannins, and this is their finest Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon made to date. It has at least 30-40 years of life ahead of it.Robert Parker | 97+ RPThe 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is still very young. Dark, powerful and quite brooding in bearing, the 2013 possesses notable depth and textural intensity. Blue/black fruit, gravel, scorched earth and grilled herbs add to a feeling of somber intensity. In this vintage, there is less Cabernet Sauvignon and more Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the result of higher percentages of those varieties in some of the co-fermented lots. Overall, the 2013 feels a bit compact today.Vinous Media | 94 VMA ripe and generous red with ripe berry, smoky meat and leather. Full-bodied, round and velvety. Extremely rich style for 2013. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Few and Far Between opens with tantalizing molten chocolate and liquid licorice notions over crème de cassis, candied violets, baked red currants, kirsch and black tea scents. The palate is full-bodied and firmly textured with ripe, grainy tannins while packed with floral and black fruit layers, finishing very long and minerally with an energetic red fruit lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPHundred Acre’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Few and Far Between, from Jayson Woodbridge’s Calistoga site, is a reminder of how expressive and rewarding his wines can be. Dark cherry, plum, new leather, smoke, licorice and menthol are all super-intense in this racy, voluptuous Cabernet Sauvignon. Potent and full-throttle, the 2014 possesses tremendous aromatic intensity (a signature of 2014) to play off the dense fruit. I tasted the 2014 blind as part of a tasting of wines from Calistoga’s Kenefick Ranch district, where it was both impressive and distinctive.Vinous Media | 96 VM

One of my favorite first-growth sites of Napa Valley is the Dr. Crane Vineyard on the back streets of St. Helena, and Myriad produces two cuvées: a 225-case Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and the Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian, which is a barrel selection based on the best barrels Mike Smith can find from Darnajou and Taransaud cooperage. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr Crane Vineyard, 15.1% alcohol, is from clone 337 and is a wine of great power and richness with complex blueberry and blackberry, charcoal and graphite notes, stunning minerality, beautiful purity, velvety tannins and a killer finish of close to 50+ seconds. This wine is drinkable because it is a 2014, but it should age nicely for two decades or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPI loved the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard and it offers sensational purity and elegance in its crème de cassis, lead pencil, graphite and smoked earth aromas and flavors. One of the deeper, richer and more concentrated wines in the lineup, yet still with the telltale 2014 suppleness and elegance, this full-bodied beauty has polished tannin, no hard edges and is pure class all the way. As with all the 2014s from Mike, it already offers pleasure today, yet will cruise in the cellar on it balance, purity and freshness.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDBlackberry and fresh mushroom aromas. Fresh spices to boot. Full-bodied, layered and dense. A little old school but shows a firmness and form to it. Give this two or three years.James Suckling | 95 JSExhibits the chewy edginess of a young wine, with tannins out front of a rich core of gravel and licorice notes, laced with blackberry and currant accents. The finish is strong, long and structured, reverberating with the core flavors. Drink now through 2034. 200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSMyriad’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane is powerful, dense and sweet, with plenty of the fruit intensity that is typical of this site. Red cherry and raspberry jam, sweet spices, mint and spice notes all develop nicely. Succulent and juicy, the 2014 will drink well with minimal cellaring.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is absolutely delicious. Ripe, radiant and seductive, the 2015 is going to be nearly impossible to resist young. Even so, there is plenty of structural underpinning beneath all of the fruit. Sweet floral notes develop in the glass, adding lift, but above all else, the 2015 is a wine of textural voluptuousness, all in a silky, mid-weight style that is hugely appealing.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Four acres are now in production at this singular, historic hillside vineyard next to the former cottage of Josephine Tychson, lovingly restored by Ann Colgin. The vineyard truly offers a unique expression of Napa Valley, with beautiful fruit layers, great elegance and the most profound fragrance being signatures of the vintages I have tasted. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard jumps out of the glass with all the vibrancy of this vintage, singing notes of cassis, crushed red cherries and mulberries with touches of chocolate, espresso, baking spices, cloves and black soil plus wafts of lavender and dried roses. Medium to full-bodied, it has wonderful elegance and finesse in the mouth, offering many mineral, black fruit and savory layers, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard is stunning, and in this reviewer’s opinion, as good as wine gets. From an east facing site at the base of Spring Mountain that has warm days and very cool nights, it reveals a deep purple color and extraordinary notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, black cherries, exotic spices and spring flowers. Full-bodied, elegant, and seamless, yet concentrated and with incredible intensity, it’s a tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from a great terroir and an incredible winemaker. Beg, borrow or steal to try this beauty.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA very tight and precise 2015 with beautiful currants, blackberries and black tea. Full-bodied, yet so reserved and focused. Great depth and length. Harmonious and balanced. Drink in 2022 but so attractive already.James Suckling | 98 JSColgin’s 2015 Tychson Hill is rich and sumptuous in the glass. Ripe red cherry, plum, mocha, spice and new leather run through the 2015. A striking, generous wine, the Tychson Hill captures the essence of the year beautifully. Silky contours and soft tannins add to the wine’s considerable appeal. Look for the 2015 to drink well with minimal cellaring. This is a beauty from Colgin.Vinous Media | 97 VMAmazingly complex and hard to resist, as the mix of dark berry, spice, loamy earth, licorice and cedar are all in harmony, ending long, firm and cedary. Best from 2020 through 2034. 370 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard has a medium garnet-purple color and is a little closed to begin, giving up red and black currants, violets, lilacs and spice box plus chocolate-covered coffee beans, menthol, tilled soil and cardamom. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and built like a brick house, with loads of floral sparks and a very long, mineral-laced finish. Through the roof.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPA subtle, elegant expression, showing a gently mulled core of red currant and blackberry fruit, lined with savory, sage and menthol notes. Fine-grained through the finish, ending with whiffs of cedar and tea. Drink now through 2027.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

A classic, herb-tinged Cabernet nose. Discreet currant notes are backed up by savoury-earthy tones. Rich and juicy on the palate but balanced by well-built and muscular tannins. Showy, with a mountain edge.Decanter | 96 DECThis is a big and rich cab but shows the coolness of the Mt. Veeder area with fresh mushroom, tobacco and currant character. Full-bodied, tight and focused. Long and flavorful finish. The balance of tannin and fruit is right on. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder Single Vineyard is also beautiful, and probably my favorite in the lineup. Crème de cassis, black cherries, violets, incense, and spring flower notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, beautifully complete, layered 2015 that has bright acidity, present, firm tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and drink over the following 15+.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Single Vineyard opens with warm cassis, blueberry compote and black forest cake notes with hints of spice box and cigars. Medium-bodied with good intensity, it has just enough fruit and firm tannins, and the finish is long and savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPDusty leather and an Old World savory and feral nose, are accented by dried herb and pyrazine in this sinewy red. Pencil shavings, cedar and black olive stay on the classic theme, with plush, expansive tannins gripping the palate with finesse.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The smaller production 2015 Au Paradis is a more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated cuvée that checks in as 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Cabernet Franc. Aged in 18 months in 50% new oak, it has a more masculine, mineral-laced style offering red and black currants, crushed rocks, chocolate, and spice. Deep, rich, concentrated, and in need of 4-6 years of cellaring, this Château Latour-lookalike is an awesome, classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA bright and vivid red with aromas of terracotta, fresh herbs, currants and blackberries. Some mint, floral notes and a touch of chocolate, too. Full body and ultra-fine tannins that are layered with ripe fruit. Love the length and beauty. Changes all the time in the glass. A fascinating wine.James Suckling | 98 JSPeter Michael’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis captures the essence of this well-exposed site on Oakville’s Upper Plateau. Dark cherry, plum, sage, mint, kirsch, espresso and chocolate are explosive in this plush, deeply textured Cabernet Sauvignon. The 50% new oak adds a dollop of sweetness without overpowering the wine. This is a gorgeous 2015.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is striking for its density, complexity, focus and range of flavors and textures, with initial scents of smoky oak running toward the seamless finish, offering notes of dark berry, cedar, crushed rock and fresh earth. Best from 2021 through 2032. 1,620 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSComposed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackcurrants, blackberries and mulberries with hints of menthol, violets, bay leaves and cloves, plus a waft of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is energetic and yet tautly structured with firm, grainy tannins and a lively backbone framing the muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. Give it 2-3 years in bottle and drink it over the next 25+. 1,620 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPFrom Peter Michael’s only Napa Valley vineyard comes this polished, pretty wine with strong Cabernet Franc character. Explosive floral aromas lead to mouthcoating red and black fruits, suave tannins and an irony minerality. 100% new French oak.Decanter | 94 DEC

The 2015 Screaming Eagle is another monumental wine from this address, and it's one of those cases where if you afford it, you should buy it. A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, this magical elixir boasts a deep purple color as well as a blockbuster bouquet of blueberries, creme de cassis, violets, incense, and cedarwood. Reminding me of the 2015 Château Margaux with its off the charts class and purity, it’s full-bodied, thrillingly textured, and has a finish that just won't quit. This legendary wine is going to keep for 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is a phenomenal wine on the nose with amazing aromas of mint and sage, highlighting the blackberry and slate character. Blackcurrants and wet earth. Medium to full body with incredible precision and beauty. It rolls off the palate with super fine tannins. Savory and juicy. The minerality and pureness draw you into it. A precise and sophisticated Screaming Eagle that brings you in. So drinkable now but better in 2022.James Suckling | 100 JSComposed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, the very deep purple-black colored 2015 Screaming Eagle leaps from the glass with notes of freshly crushed black currants, black cherries and blackberries with suggestions of cigar box, black raspberries, red currants, chocolates, pencil lead and cast-iron pan plus a touch of potpourri. Medium to full-bodied with a rock-solid backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, it features the most incredible black and red fruit layers and finishes with incredible vibrancy and depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2015 Screaming Eagle is fabulous. Rich and ample on the palate, with soaring aromatics from the Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Ripe red plum, pomegranate, mint, kirsch, lavender and sweet spice notes are beautifully delineated in the glass. In this tasting, the Cabernet-based Screaming Eagle is quite a bit more open and accessible than the Merlot-based The Flight. Even so, it will be years before the 2015 Screaming Eagle is ready to drink.Vinous Media | 98 VMNotable for the focus on dark berry, licorice, plum and light oak notes, this is solid throughout, fanning out to capture a range of flavors. Texturally smooth until the finish, where the tannins grip. Best from 2021 through 2030. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This is a monumental lineup from what is undeniably one of the greatest producers in the world today, and there are three perfect wines from this estate. Looking first at the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill, which comes from a tiny, cooler, north facing vineyard in St. Helena that was originally planted in 1881 by Josephine Tychson, it’s 95% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, bottled in May of this year. Its saturated purple color is followed by a sensational perfume of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, graphite, and hints of licorice. This gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated, powerful wine that has beautiful mid-palate depth and concentration, an utter seamlessness, elegance, and balance that’s hard to describe, awesome purity of fruit, and a finish that won’t quit. This is Napa Valley Cabernet at its finest and one of the great Cabernet Sauvignons of the past century. Hide bottles for 4-5 years, a decade if you can, and it will keep for 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is the first vintage with fruit from Josephine’s Hill included. This 2.38-acre north-facing hillside vineyard seems to have this incredible ability to retain all its flavor nuances with extended hang-time. By comparison, the rest of the Tychson Hill vineyard is planted to a gentler slope. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard has gorgeous floral notions of lilacs, lavender and roses with sandalwood and cinnamon stick sparks over a core of cassis, blackberry pie, kirsch and redcurrant jelly plus a waft of cigar boxes. The full-bodied palate is rich, concentrated, expressive and velvety, offering seamless freshness to lift and entice the mid-palate, finishing very, very long with some savory notions starting to unfurl. It is one of those wines that is so unique, expressive and perfect in every way that it sets your heart racing with every sip.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThis is really ethereal with blackberries, hazelnuts, fresh flowers and chocolate. Full body and a fine, horizontal mouthfeel. So classic and extraordinary. Great finish. Better after 2022, but hard not to drink this now.James Suckling | 99 JSColgin's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill is fabulous. Rich, dense and beautifully textured, the 2016 possesses tremendous nuance and pure class. An exotic mélange of super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice, rose petal and mocha develop effortlessly, but it is the wine's balance that really stands out most. I imagine the 2016 will give readers a broad window of pure drinking pleasure. This is a super-refined, polished vintage for the Tychson Hill.Vinous Media | 98 VMYouthfully dense, with a broad swath of tobacco and ganache up front, this slowly reveals a pure, large-scale core of raspberry, red currant and plum fruit. This moves slowly and authoritatively through the fine-grained finish, gilded with anise and graphite details. To be released March 2020. Best from 2021 through 2035. 550 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Mount Eden’s 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon represents the essence of what Cabernet Sauvignon is all about in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Deep, powerful and explosive, the 2016 simply has it all. A wine of tremendous depth and intensity. Readers, take note. This is world class Cabernet Sauvignon that in any other region would cost 2-3 times as much. Savory and expansive, with tons of mountain character and remarkable richness from low yields in 2016, the Cabernet Sauvignon is simply off the charts. It’s another utterly breathtaking wine from Mount Eden.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is blended with 12% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The nose offers pure cassis finely layered with Chinese five spice, dried rose petals, graphite and pipe tobacco with a wild, game-like undercurrent. The palate is seamless, opening to an array of detailed fruits and spices, with a silt-like structure and expansive juicy uplift. It’s a wonderfully balanced Cabernet that offers immediate appeal plus everything it needs for a long life in the cellar. 1,582 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe combination of high-elevation vineyards, oceanic influence and surrounding coniferous forest give Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet a singular profile, and few show it off as well as Mount Eden. Aged 22 months in 50% new oak, a mixture of French and American. Contains 12% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. American wood instils notes of candied orange rind and coconut flakes into an otherwise gravel-driven nose. The palate has a graceful, buoyant quality that gently floats across the palate. The finish is very dry and wound up like a spring, which will continue to be the case for the next several years. This is a wine to slowly let unfurl, both when ageing and consuming; open several hours in advance. Drinking Window 2024 - 2054.Decanter | 96 DECDried dark fruit, toasted cedar, shaved cocoa and sappy redwood tones make for a very dry expression on the nose of this classic bottling. Those elements meet with dense and dry blackberry and black plum on the sip, where dried herbs, black-pepper and soy flavors also arise. The elegant structure is such that this wine just doesn’t die, even after more than a week of sitting open. Drink 2022–2046.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WENo written review provided. | 95 W&SThis shows a zesty mix of sage and grilled savory notes, backed by a sleek black currant, plum and black cherry core. The singed alder and mesquite frame shows on the finish, which is tightly focused and youthfully closed for now, with just a bolt of iron showing. When this rounds into form, it will be a winner. Best from 2023 through 2036. 1,259 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Scheduled to be released in March of this year, the deep ruby-colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon would give the 2015 Château Margaux (that’s what leaped into my head as I tasted this) a run for its money and is an utterly perfect bottle of wine that does everything right. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from very old, dry farmed vines in what was previously known as the J.J. Cohn Vineyard, its deep purple color is followed by a heavenly perfume of blueberries, spring flowers, lead pencil, exotic spices, and graphite. Slightly more focused and poised than the M. Etain release, with full body, ultra-fine tannins, and no hard edges, it’s a wine of incredible elegance paired with remarkable intensity, and it’s rare to find a wine that marries both so effortlessly. As with the vast majority of truly great Cabernet Sauvignons, it’s great today and will be great in 30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDScarecrow is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from two acres of old vines planted in 1945 by John Daniel and dry farmed. Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon comes sashaying out of the glass with tantalizing notions of violets, lavender, Black Forest cake, mulberries, tobacco leaf and fragrant earth with a core of warm cassis, kirsch, Chinese five spice, rose hip tea and cedar chest. The palate is full-bodied and super concentrated yet possesses great energy with vibrant red and black fruits and loads of mineral accents, framed by very ripe, super fine-grained tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long with the most incredible perfume. Hedonistically, undeniably and deliciously perfect. 2,000 cases are to be made, to be released in the spring of 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPScarecrow’s story is as fascinating as it is improbable. The vineyard was founded in 1945 by Joseph J. Cohn who was born in Harlem, New York, in 1895, to Russian immigrants. Cohn, penniless as a child, rose to become the head of Hollywood’s famous studio MGM. Among the classic movies Cohn produced was The Wizard of Oz. Years later Cohn’s grandson Bret Lopez named the wine Scarecrow after the movie’s beloved character. Made by Celia Welch, it’s a stunning wine with dazzling flavours that flash open like a peacock’s tail. The texture is nothing short of sublime.Drinking Window 2019 - 2045Decanter | 98 DECThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Scarecrow is another positively riveting wine from this benchmark estate and longtime winemaker Celia Welch. Powerful and explosive on the palate, with tremendous energy, the 2016 has so much to offer. A rush of graphite, smoke, leather and tobacco builds as this beautifully layered, nuanced Cabernet Sauvignon shows why Scarecrow is one of Napa Valley’s very finest vineyard sites. Just bottled a few weeks before this tasting, the 2016 is shaping up to be a real jewel of a wine. Don’t miss it!Vinous Media | 98 VMA frankly ripe style, with creamed plum, blackberry and dark cherry sauce flavors gliding through. A singed alder note provides frame and spine, while warm earth, tobacco and sassafras accents run through the finish. Solidly built despite the slightly heady fruit. Best from 2021 through 2034. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is plush and super-expressive right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, gravel, spice and juniper berries. There is a ton of character here. Black cherry, game, smoke, licorice, tobacco and incense all build in a potent, savory Cabernet that delivers the goods. This is one of the most distinctive Howell Mountain Cabernet wines I have tasted in some time.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon 29 Estate (20 months in 80% new barrels) is seamless and elegant, with perfect balance and overall harmony. Classic notes of crème de cassis, green tobacco, graphite, and lead pencil all flow to an utterly seamless, silky 2016 that does everything right. It’s not a blockbuster, but it’s one of the purest, most seamless, and complete wines in this report. Given its balance and purity, it’s already hard to resist, yet it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to keep for 30-40 years. It’s a monumental wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe deep purple-black colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon 29 Estate opens with provocative notions of crème de cassis, baked blueberries and black cherry compote with suggestions of star anise, tilled soil, tobacco leaf and espresso plus a waft of lavender. Full-bodied and packed with black and blue fruits plus loads of earthy accents, it has a very firm, grainy frame and lively, long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon 29 Estate is voluptuous and racy in the glass, with an extra kick of flamboyant attitude that distinguishes it from the Aida. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, chocolate, cedar and menthol crescendo into a huge finish. All of the personality of this St. Helena site comes through in a dramatic, opulent Cabernet that will be impossible to resist young.Vinous Media | 95 VMBriary plum and mulberry aromas here with hints of tar, leading to a wealth of smooth, succulent and plush tannins that carry a bold, sweet plum finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JS

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hayne Vineyard comes from a site in Napa and is all Clone 337 of Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new French oak. Beautiful crème de cassis, violets, tobacco, and bouquet garni notes emerge from this classic, full-bodied, incredibly well-balanced 2018. I love its tannins, it’s flawlessly balanced, and it’s a wine that keeps you coming back to the glass. Drink bottles over the coming 15+.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD

Gorgeous aromas of blackberries, currants and plums with some spices. Walnuts and chocolate, too. Full-to medium-bodied with very fine tannins and delicious, succulent fruit, as well as hints of herbs. Some stemmy character. So balanced and delicious. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 4% malbec and 1% petite verdot. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Vaso is cut from the same cloth, offering beautiful purity and richness. It’s slightly more pure and darker than the spicier 2017 and has notes of cassis, redcurrants, dark chocolate, tobacco, and violets. Full-bodied on the palate, it has silky tannins, terrific overall balance, and just loads of character and charm. It’s in the running for the greatest Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon under $100.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Vaso is a potent, somewhat burly wine. It will need a few years to help the tannins soften. There is plenty of weight and power. Time in the glass helps the aromatics open, but the 2018 is not an easygoing wine from Dana. It needs a bit of time.-Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

Deep ruby-purple, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena offers tones of cassis and blueberries, with slowly emerging accents of dark chocolate, aniseed, vanilla and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, it has lush fruits, a plush, rounded frame and bursts of fresh acidity highlighting its spicy accents on the long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is racy and expressive in the glass. Super-ripe red raspberry, spice, vanillin and a hint of chocolate add a pretty touch of flamboyance to this open-knit, silky Cabernet Sauvignon. Supple and inviting, with no hard edges, the 2018 will drink well right out of the gate. Best of all the 2018 is a fabulous value.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGNicely packed with plum, currant and blackberry purée flavors laced with black licorice and framed by a perfectly integrated alder note. Flash of sweet bay in the background, too. Drink now through 2026. 1,575 cases made. Wine Spectator | 92 WSWith a sumptuously inviting nose of nutmeg, clove and dark chocolate, this rich wine is blended with 14% Malbec and 2% Merlot. Dusty texture gives in to a core of soft, supple tannins that melt on the palate, finishing with length and breadth.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA very rich, opulent nose with aromas of sandalwood, nougat and grilled plum. It’s full-bodied with a firm tannin structure. Stewed fruit flavors lead to a warm, toffee and chocolate-infused finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JSThe base appellation 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley checks in as 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec, and the rest Petit Verdot. Solid mulberry and blackberry fruits as well as ample earthy tobacco and leather notes emerge from the glass, and it’s medium-bodied, with a rounded, elegant texture and ripe, polished tannins. I don’t think it’s going to make old bones, but it should deliver the goods for at least 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

Dunn’s 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon shows terrific purity and focus in its aromas of cassis and pencil shavings and on the medium to full-bodied palate, where it’s streamlined and smooth. There’s intensity and concentration, but they sort of slide past almost unnoticed, lubricated by fine-grained tannins and lingering notes of cassis and graphite on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a gorgeous wine, especially for Dunn fans who want a wine to drink that won’t take forever to come around. Dark and savory, with terrific depth, the 2018 is full of character. Black cherry, lavender, chocolate, sage, mint and cloves all open in the glass. The 2018 has just enough grip to have a good amount of classic structure, but not to the point of being forbidding. The Napa Cabernet is about 55% Howell Mountain and 45% Coombsville fruit. The 2018 is beautifully done and an absolute delight.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGWell-endowed, with waves of lightly warmed plum sauce, blackberry preserves and melted black licorice framed by a roasted apple wood note. Flashes of sassafras and sweet bay leaf add alluring range through the muscular finish. Best from 2023 through 2035. 1,814 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is elegant, deep and classy. Inky dark purplish fruit, savory herbs, menthol, licorice and spice. The purity of the fruit is remarkable today. There is plenty of youthful Howell Mountain tannin, so readers will have to be patient. Bright floral accents lift the red/purplish berry fruit nicely. This is such an expressive, alluring Cabernet.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGRipe and very juicy, with a youthfully compact set of plum, boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors wrapped in licorice and violet notes. This is both racy and grippy, showing serious power but with the freshness and drive to match. Delivers a long, iron accent that scores the fruit through the finish. Best from 2024 through 2040. 3,523 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a typically long-term proposition, coated in dusty tannins and cedary oak. It will take time for the cassis, blueberry and slightly pine-scented backbone of this wine to emerge, as for the moment it’s almost difficult to taste. Yes, the concentration is present, the tannins are almost silky-ripe, but the structure of this medium to full-bodied wine is unassailable. Hands off for at least five years, and probably more, to judge by how past vintages have evolved.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP