California Classics

wines

The 2008 The Maiden is a beautiful wine graced with exquisite finesse in its dark red berries, flowers and licorice. Gorgeous inner perfume and a super-refined personality are some of the qualities found in the 2008 Maiden. A weightless, subtle finish rounds things out nicely. Stylistically the 2008 Maiden is quite a bit more delicate – at times even fleeting – next to the 2008 Harlan Estate. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2008 The Maiden is a beautiful wine graced with exquisite finesse in its dark red berries, flowers and licorice. Gorgeous inner perfume and a super-refined personality are some of the qualities found in the 2008 Maiden. A weightless, subtle finish rounds things out nicely. Stylistically the 2008 Maiden is quite a bit more delicate – at times even fleeting – next to the 2008 Harlan Estate.Vinous Media | 92 VMLoamy earth notes and mouthcoating tannins provide the baseline for this rich, layered effort, which is full-bodied, with toned-down dried currant, mocha, spice, cedar and sage notes. Drink now through 2020. 988 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard has a very pretty rose petal and kirsch-scented nose with a core of red and black currants, black raspberries and oolong tea with hints of truffles and iron ore. The palate is full-bodied, exquisitely textured and wonderfully vibrant with tons of energy and a very long, lively finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP(15.5% alcohol): Bright medium red. Subtly complex aromas of black raspberry, blackberry, dusty cocoa powder, toffee and licorice; I often find a Pomerol quality to this wine, despite the fact that it’s 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Wonderfully suave and seamless, with a thickness of texture leavened by firm acidity and a hint of herbs. Really lovely class and energy here, in spite of its almost confectionery sweetness. More tightly wound and delineated than the Ark, with darker berry, plum, licorice, toffee and flavors enlivened by minerality and a touch of herbs. This still-youthful wine has loosened up a bit since I last tasted it as part of a spectacular horizontal tasting two years ago and finishes quite harmonious, with serious ripe tannins and integrated acidity. As ripe and thick as this is, there’s a soil-driven, savory, claret-like character that’s captivating. Offers a lighter touch than the Ark. This held up beautifully in the recorked bottle, showing a liqueur-like, velvety sweetness without ever becoming heavy.Vinous Media | 96 VMA rich, supple, graceful style, with gentle layers of wild berry, plum, black licorice, crème de cassis and vanilla. Medium- to full-bodied, with silky tannins and great length. Drink now through 2022. 840 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSDefines the modern, cult Napa Cabernet style, albeit at a hefty price. Soft and rich in tannins and liberally oaked, it shows massively ripe blackberry, cherry and sandalwood flavors, with a meaty, slightly funky note that adds interest. Easy to like right out of the bottle, it’s so decadent. With high alcohol, it doesn’t seem like a longterm ager, so drink over the next six years.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

The 2008 Sloan Estate is racy and totally elegant from start to finish. It shows gorgeous freshness and vibrancy in its expressive dark red fruit, flowers, licorice and tobacco. Today the 2008 comes across as a relatively understated, subdued vintage for this wine. It should be absolutely fabulous in another few years. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2028.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP(14.8% alcohol): Bright medium ruby. Pure and high-pitched if reticent on the nose, offering aromas of blackberry, licorice, violet, menthol and sweet oak lifted by an element of dusty stone. Wonderfully suave, fine-grained and light on its feet, with a sexy oak element complementing the black raspberry, mineral and spice flavors. Very dense but not at all heavy, showing terrific floral energy and a light touch for this bottling, with no sign of dehydrated berries. The fruit still conveys a distinctly primary character but the wine’s verve makes it delicious already--in fact, I’m tempted to say that anyone who doesn’t love this is a spoilsport or a masochist. Wonderfully harmonious wine with the underlying spine to support a long evolution in bottle. The substantial dusty tannins show some obvious new oak.Vinous Media | 95 VMA rich, maturing Napa cabernet sauvignon with rich redcurrant-jelly character and a lot of subtle notes, ranging from cedar to savory chocolate caramel. Then comes a much more serious structure on the palate than the nose suggested, the tannins firm but well integrated. Long finish with some mineral character. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS