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This is phenomenal with aromas of walnuts, meat, dark fruits and spices. Full body, soft and silky tannins, and a long finish. This shows subtle and intense character. So succulent and savory. Sweet fruit, yet salty. 400 cases. Drink now.James Suckling | 98 JSThe wine that probably gets ignored, but shouldn’t be, is their small production of 350-400 cases of Syrah from their estate vineyard. The 2012 IX Syrah Estate blew me away, and I’ve said many times that it always tastes as if it’s co-fermented with Viognier, but it is always 100% Syrah. It has a honeysuckle, flowery, almost white/peachy component in the blackberry and meaty aromatics that always throw me off. The wine is aged in small oak, but the oak is concealed by the lavish amount of fruit, glycerin and extract. This is a super-intense, massive, yet elegant and complex Syrah that should drink well for 10-15 years.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2012 Syrah IX Estate is a step up over the 2007 and has a medium to full-bodied, ripe, sexy style as well as complex aromatics of darker berries, ground pepper, smoked game, and hints of bloody meat. It’s perfectly balanced and drinking at point today.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD(75% new oak): Bright saturated ruby. Extremely primary aromas of dark berries and violet, with a touch of reduction. Thick, very ripe and sweet, with some exotic oak notes (Colgin uses Damy and François Frères barrels plus a bit of Hermitage) currently dominating the wine’s fruit and spice flavors. A distinctly saline style with a note of black olive, this young Syrah appears to be going through a sullen stage, showing more depth of texture than flavor definition today. The toothcoating tannins will require patience.Vinous Media | 94 VMBroodingly dark in color, this red combines power and finesse. Dusty dried currant and wild sage aromas open to plush, complex flavors of blackberry, toasty vanilla and dark licorice. Shows momentum toward the ripe tannins on the finish. Drink now through 2027. 440 cases madeWine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2012 Solari is a stunning wine based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 20 months in 70% new French oak. As with most 2012s, it’s drinking brilliantly today and sports a youthful ruby/purple hue as well as a monster bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, dried earth, licorice, and Asian spices. It’s rich and powerful, with plenty of underling structure, yet it stays weightless as well as seamless on the palate, with flawless balance. This is a brilliant, heavenly Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that will continue showing well for another two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari (100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 70% new French oak) is even better than I thought last year. This spectacular wine boasts notes of white chocolate, hot gravel, crème de cassis, blackberries, licorice and forest floor. A subtle smoky barbecue character is noticeable in the background. This is a thrilling, full-bodied, majestic Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 25-30 years, although its tannic structure suggests cellaring it for 2-5 years will be beneficial.Robert Parker | 99 RPA wine with sliced mushroom, bark and spice plus berry and dark chocolate. Full body with forest flower, bramble, and light earth. Powerful and rich. A wonderful expression of cabernet sauvignon from here. Pure cab. Available in November. Give it two or three years to soften. Try in 2017.James Suckling | 95 JSA broad, rich, expansive expression of dark berry, currant, espresso and mocha, this hits all the right notes, with touches of savory herb and tobacco leaf. Most impressive on the lingering finish, where the flavors run deep. Drink now through 2030. 1,090 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSGraphite, smoke, licorice, incense, game and black fruit race across the palate in the 2012 Solari. This is an especially explosive, structured wine for the vintage, with superb balance and the density to support years of exceptional drinking. Black cherries, plums, game and tobacco reappear on the huge finish. This is a rare 2012 that demands patience.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AG

A relatively new addition to the Peter Michael range and made from a single vineyard in the heart of the Napa Valley. Phenomenal aromas of dust, rust, blackberry, currants and dried berries. Spices such as nutmeg and cloves too. Stunning. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 98 JSDeliciously pure and supple, with explosive dark berry and red berry flavors and a silky, polished texture. The tannins become more evident midway through, with a gravelly crushed rock profile that adds a dimension of dust and mineral. Drink now through 2030. 1,785 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSPeter Michael’s newest offering comes from the Showket Vineyard in Oakville, which sits high on the hillsides of the Vaca Mountains in eastern Napa Valley. The vineyard is next to Dalla Valle, so this is a high-rent Cabernet district. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis is composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Cabernet Franc (1,785 cases produced). It exhibits lots of grilled meat, spice box, cedarwood, crème de cassis and vanilla characteristics, a full-bodied earthiness, stunning purity, and refined, silky tannins. It is a gorgeous 2012 red to drink over the next 25+ years.Robert Parker | 95+ RP

The perfect 2013 Vecina offers up notes of pen ink, scorched earth, espresso, blackcurrant liqueur and blackberries. It is a fabulously great wine, with supple, well-integrated tannin, decent acidity, and a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, with extraordinary purity and richness. This is an amazing wine to drink over the next 50 years, although I would probably suggest cellaring for five or more at present.Robert Parker | 100 RPThis look back at Vecina continues with the 2013. Ample and creamy yet also tannic, the 2013 is outrageously beautiful today. Raspberry jam, tobacco, smoke, dried flowers and herbs build into a crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures. Although the 2013 won’t be ready to drink any time soon, it is simply thrilling on this afternoon. There is not much more I can say than that.Vinous Media | 100 VMAromas of plums and terracotta with flowers and fresh herbs such as lemon grass. Full body. This young red envelops your palate with polished and velvety tannins that turn to ripe fruit, light smoke, cedar and chocolate undertones. Dusty texture. Salty and savory. Superb intensity. Can’t wait to drink it on release and onwards.James Suckling | 98 JSRemarkably complex, focused and structured, with a rich, fruity entry supported by fine-grained tannins and seductively creamy, mocha-tinged oak. Taken as a whole this is an enticingly complex and ageworthy effort. Drink now through 2030. 460 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSDark, rich black fruits, pencil shavings and chapparal (California’s garrigue) preface a ripe, ample and substantially-framed wine, the largest-scaled and most obviously ripe of the Bond wines, though savoury, crisp tannins keep things serious. From deep, fine gravel soils in west Oakville, it will be interesting to watch this cuvée’s evolution over the vintages to come. Drinking Window 2018 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DEC

Extravagant aromas of crushed raspberries and boysenberries follow through to a full body with fabulous velvety tannins and a superb finish of exotic fruit and lusciousness. Mesmerizing now but better in 2019.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2013 St. Eden is absolutely mind-blowing, with notes of blackcurrant liqueur and licorice as well as hints of Asian soy and lead pencil. Wonderful fruit that hits the palate with a cascade of glycerin, silky but noticeable tannins, and a big, earthy, rich, full-throttle, majestic finish of close to a minute add to this wine’s compelling personality. It should drink well for at least 30-40 years.Robert Parker | 99 RPOnce again, the magic of this great Napa Valley vintage comes through in the 2013 St. Eden, a wine that captures all the magic of this great Oakville site. Bright, punchy and deeply expressive, the 2013 exudes class. The tannins are there, but they are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Seamless, racy and utterly exquisite, the 2013 St. Eden is simply magnificent. This is a fabulous showing.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGBlack fruits, sage and mountain laurel preface a deep, juicy wine; ample but savoury. From red volcanic soils in east Oakville, this wine impresses for its vibrancy and cut—which give it the edge over its sibling Vecina on the other side of the valley. Drinking Window 2018 - 2038.Decanter | 95 DEC

The 2013 Pinot Noir de Villiers Vineyard is intense, pure and brilliant. Dark red cherry, blood orange, lavender, mint, star anise and wild flowers give the de Villiers an exotic edge in this vintage. Plush and deep on the palate, the 2013 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Sweet floral and red-fleshed fruits add freshness on the finish. Today, the De Villiers is sublime, but it also needs time to fully come together.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThe 2013 Pinot Noir de Villiers is gorgeous. Coming from an east-facing parcel of vines planted in 1997 and aged 19 months in 30% new French oak, it has a terrific core of black cherries, flowers, menthol, toasted spice and licorice that opens up beautifully with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, layered, supple and sexy, yet with plenty of elegance, ripe tannin and a big mid-palate, it can be drunk today with plenty of pleasure or cellared for a decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPRich earthy tones of iron and sagebrush meet with a touch of barnyard, roasted meats, dark cranberry fruit and a touch of sarsaparilla on the nose of this Josh Jensen bottling. More iron, wet clay, turned loam and slate minerality show on the palate, where black pepper, cooked black cherries, pomegranate and cranberry round out the still quite tannic sip.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE(Calera Wine Company Pinot Noir - de Villiers Vineyard Red) A spicy and relatively deeply pitched nose is composed primarily of plum and dark currant aromas. There is excellent richness, size and weight to the delicious, velvety and caressing medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent dry extract that serves to buffer the moderately firm tannic spine on the dusty, sappy and somewhat austere finale. This reasonably austere effort is really quite serious and is clearly going to need plenty of time in bottle to soften the supporting structure. (Drink starting 2021)Burghound | 91 BHBuilds richness, depth and intensity, with cherry, blackberry and plum notes amid chalky accents. Flexes some tannic muscle on the finish, where the flavors gain depth and persistence. Drink now through 2023. 993 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

From a vineyard that Josh Jensen planted in 1975 comes this bottling that shows sultry black plum, minty herbs, tarragon, black slate, smashed mulberry and a touch of pork fat. A wondrous array of baked red and black fruit meet with clove, nutmeg, more tarragon and minty flavors on the palate too, producing delicious, dynamic flavor. It’s like an expertly cooked stew of fruit, spice and herb.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WECalera’s 2013 Pinot Noir Reed Vineyard is a beauty, and one of the standout vintages of this cuvee. Harvested on October 8th and 9th, with a scant 1.14 tons per acre, and aged 17 months in 30% French oak, its light ruby color is followed by a sweet, perfumed bouquet of sassafras, mint, sweet cherries and dried flowers. This cooler site always imparts a lively, sappy, almost green note, but it’s always balanced by a solid core of fruit. Medium-bodied, supple, elegant and silky, it has tons of charm, no hard edges and should evolve nicely on its overall balance.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2013 Pinot Noir Reed Vineyard is one of the most unique wines in this range. Its powerful, incisive, savory personality is quite distinctive, to say the least. Intense chalk notes meld into blood orange, mint, cranberry and white pepper. Today, the Reed is not as outwardly charming as some of the other wines. The acidity is high and the searing tannins need at least a few years to soften. There is no shortage of intrigue, that is for sure.Antonio Galloni | 93+ AG(Calera Wine Company Pinot Noir - Reed Vineyard Red) Like the Jensen the cool and pure but ripe nose is overtly floral with its restrained combination of red currant and cherry liqueur-like scents. The rich, round and solidly concentrated flavors possess a lovely mouth feel before terminating in a lingering and beautifully textured finale. This manages to carry its reported alcohol with almost no warmth on the impressively persistent finish and overall, this too should amply reward extended cellaring. I should note that this isn’t quite as firmly structured as the Jensen and with 30 minutes of air could even be approached young. (Drink starting 2021)Burghound | 92 BHFirm and spicy, with floral and wilted rose scents and a core of chalky, dusty earth. The core of red and dark berry fruit rises to the forefront and gains depth and persistence. Most impressive on the long and layered aftertaste. Drink now through 2022. 346 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

There are just under 900 cases of the 2013 Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard, and like the de Villiers cuvee, it spent 19 months in 30% new barrels. This is a big, rich, yet still graceful Pinot Noir that’s loaded with notions of mulberries, sappy underbrush, licorice, violets and dried earth. Mouth-filling, polished, balanced and concentrated, this changed dramatically with extended airing, and where it was a touch burly on opening, the tannin sweetened up beautifully and it showed much more polish with air. Nevertheless, there’s ample tannin here and it should be given 2-3 years of cellaring. When all is said and done, this might be the finest vintage of this cuvee to date.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA big, powerful wine, the 2013 Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard packs a serious punch. Dark, bold flavors abound, the result of a drought year that produced tiny berries. Readers will have to be patient, as the Ryan is likely to require quite a bit of time to come around. Even at this early stage, though, it is super-impressive. The 100% whole clusters are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Today, the Ryan is the most tannic, backward and brooding of these Pinots.Vinous Media | 95+ VMA bushel of black cherries blends with slate, bay leaf, thyme and dried lilacs on the nose of this Josh Jensen bottling, which shows an amazing amount of aging potential. The palate is wound tightly by fine-grained tannins, which are starting to give a peek at the layered flavors of cranberry, pencil lead, thyme, bay leaf, pressed violets and dried citrus that patiently await their turns to shine. Drink 2018 through 2033.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE(Calera Wine Company Pinot Noir - Ryan Vineyard Red) This is the ripest of these 2013s with its wood and menthol-inflected nose that is comprised of plum, mocha, dark fruit and spice elements. There is excellent richness and mid-palate concentration to the powerful and robust big-bodied flavors that are shaped by borderline chewy tannins on the noticeably warm and slightly wooded finish. This overtly structured effort is very definitely an example of "power pinot" and will most appeal to those who prefer size and weight to refinement. (Drink starting 2023)Burghound | 90 BH

Another perfect wine from this incredible team is the 2013 Syrah IX Estate, and this world-class example of the variety will stand up to anything out there. Deep purple-hued with a mammoth-sized bouquet of blueberries, smoked meats, violets, game, and spring flowers, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It’s a gorgeous wine in every way. I think it’s right in the middle of its prime drinking window, where it should hold for another decade, with a gradual decline after that.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDAmazing aromas of cracked black pepper, smoked meat and blueberries. Blue slate. Full body, iodine, spice, crushed black fruit, and black pepper. Polished and velvety. Glorious. Why wait to drink this? Yet it has a bright future in the bottle.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2013 Syrah IX Estate may turn out to be better. It’s not as complex from a nuanced standpoint as the 2012, but it has possibly greater intensity than its sibling. Its blackberry fruit, charcoal, acacia flowers, grilled meats and beef tartare notes are all beautifully presented in a pure, succulent, opulent style. This is amazing sTuff, and a great example of a singular style of Syrah from Napa Valley. Drink now-2028.Robert Parker | 98 RP(75% new oak): Saturated deep ruby. Brooding, primary aromas of blackberry, cassis, black cherry, violet and licorice. Wonderfully tactile and chewy, showing more definition and detail today than the 2012 version in spite of its extreme youthfulness. Succulent purple fruit and spice flavors are complicated by a brisket-like meaty element I also found in the 2007 bottling at this tasting. At once bright and thick, this utterly seamless Syrah finishes with substantial dusty tannins and outstanding length.Vinous Media | 96 VMDeep and powerfully complex, with an enticingly supple texture. Aromas of blueberry, chunky chocolate and smoky herb combine with layered flavors of huckleberry, cracked pepper and licorice, lingering toward big but plush tannins. Drink now through 2028. 480 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The flagship wine, and one of the first in Napa Valley to emphasize the fabulous potential of Cabernet Franc in specific terroirs, is the 2013 Maya Proprietary Red Wine. This wine usually spends about 22 months in new oak and normally has anywhere from 45% to as much as 60% Cabernet Franc blended with the estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2013 could well be the finest they’ve made to date, and that includes a lot of profound wines. An incredibly complex nose of charcoal embers, blackberry and cassis, some blueberries as well as white flowers, and a touch of forest floor is followed by a full-bodied wine with sweet, well-integrated tannins, a multi-dimensional mouthfeel, and a finish that goes on for close to a minute. This is absolutely remarkable wine – powerful, dense, but at the sane time, precise and elegant. It’s hard to believe, but I think this wine can probably age and improve for 25-40 years. Don’t miss it if you have access to it.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 2013 Maya is a bit more expressive today than the Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, plush and vertical in its shape, the 2013 exudes intensity and pure power from start to finish. The Maya is another wine that will require considerable patience. Hints of black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, cloves, leather and scorched earth give the 2013 much of its brooding, powerful personality, but readers will have to give the 2013 at least a few years in barrel for it to be at its best.Vinous Media | 97+ VMBlack plums, caramel, new leather and bramble on the nose. Sumptuous and chewy mouthfeel, with flavours of raw cacao, bitter cherry and dried sage. The finish is long and driving, showing the brilliant, high-toned structure common in this section of Oakville. More generous at present than the 2013 Cabernet, but still very much a baby. Recommended to cellar for another few years. Drinking Window 2026 - 2051.Decanter | 95 DECAn inspiring effort, this captures a dense mix of gravelly earth, extracted dark berry, cedar, dried herb, anise and crushed rock notes, showing a cleansing minerally edge. Stays trim and deserves time. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2020 through 2032. 750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard, which is also 100% of this varietal, behaves similarly to how the 2013 Altagracia did compared to its older sibling. Inky, bluish purple with a beautifully pure nose of blueberries, blackberries and cassis with background floral notes, this full-bodied wine (14.8% alcohol) tastes a lot younger and less evolved than its 2012 counterpart. I’d think this was a barrel sample, then again, it’s only been in bottle for three months. Beautiful layers of fruit, velvety more noticeable tannin, exquisite purity and an almost endless finish make for a remarkable effort that needs another 5-6 years of cellaring and should keep 30 to 40+ years, particularly in view of how Eiseles from the early 1970s have lasted.Robert Parker | 99 RPThe aroma of dried rose petals is stunning. Hints of dark fruits too. Intensely perfumed. Full-bodied, deep and condensed with incredible depth and subtlety. Powerful tannins that are hidden under the beautiful fruit. The finish lasts for minutes. Precise and gorgeous. Very tight. Needs four to five years to soften and amalgamate. One of best ever from Araujo? The first wine from grape to bottle from the new owner, Francois Pinault, who also owns Château Latour.James Suckling | 98 JSA deep-pitched bouquet of fresh red-black fruit, deep soil tones and floral top notes introduces a youthfully primary wine with a refined, three-dimensional tannic structure and signature Eisele minerality. The first wine produced ’from berry to bottle’ by the Pinault regime is thus a great success, with notably superior barrel integration to some of its predecessors. The vineyard is now front-and-centre: on the label, and in the bottle. Drinking Window 2023 - 2045Decanter | 95 DECPure and pleasantly focused, driven by a supple core of dark berry, licorice, sage, underbrush and mineral notes that stand up to the cedary oak. Ends long, deep and persistent, echoing the core flavor themes.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard is dark, intense and jammy, with good up-front richness and mid-palate depth. Today, the oak is a bit prominent, which is unusual for this wine. Araujo’s 2013 Eisele is solid, but doesn’t quite hit the high notes that are so typical of the year.Vinous Media | 89-92 VM

The perfect 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan spent 32 months in French oak prior to being bottled unfiltered. Like all of the Woodbridge wines, it can be noted for its inky/bluish purple color, extraordinary fragrance of white flowers, crème de cassis, blackberry and graphite. Totally opulent, I always thought the wine tasted more like the great Pomerols, which are made mostly from Merlot, versus Woodbridge’s 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. But this vineyard has a lot of clay in it that seems to provide a silkiness to the tannins. This is a beautifully balanced, full-throttle and highly extracted wine with no hard edges and a finish of a good 45-50 seconds. The fruit character is still vibrant and intense, despite the 32 months of oak age. Drink it over the next 30 years.Robert Parker | 100 RPAromas of black licorice, blackberry, dried herb and cedar are well-centered, on-point and directed, leading to taut tannins and snappy acidity. Ends a bit abruptly. Best from 2020 through 2030. 825 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian Reserve has a black/bluish purple color, extraordinary suppleness and velvety integration of tannin, copious quantities of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, graphite and white flowers. It’s amazing wine and would be the equivalent of a great vintage of a Mission Haut-Brion on steroids. Whether it lasts 20 years or 30 or 40 is still up for speculation, but this is a profound Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the most compelling examples of this remarkable vintage. This is an utterly compelling, prodigious effort. Here’s to you, Mike Smith!Robert Parker | 100 RPA magical, majestic wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian is a tiny barrel selection from this First Growth site just outside of Saint Helena. Dense purple-hued with an undeniable Graves-like bouquet of blackcurrants, unsmoked tobacco, damp earth, cedarwood, and iron, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, powerful style that stays light on its feel, flawlessly balanced, and as pure and seamless as they come. From a great vintage, a great terroir, and a great winemaker, it’s still tight and closed on the palate and needs 4-5 years of bottle age, but it will keep for 30-40 years. It’s an incredible wine!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA fabulous, open-knit, hedonistic wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Elysian captures the more exotic, flashy side of this famous St. Helena site. Mocha, espresso, black cherries, smoke, licorice and tobacco flesh out in a totally effortless, unctuous Cabernet. Layers of flavors blossom through to the exuberant finish. There is so much to like and admire here.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Aromas of blueberries, tar and cherries follow through to a full body, firm and silky tannins and a chewy finish. Shows structure and composure. Better in 2019.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa is a beauty, with loads of graphite, white chocolate, crème de cassis and blackberry fruit are present in this medium to full-bodied wine with excellent texture, length and personality. The wine tips the scales at 14.7% alcohol, and was aged 24 months in one-third new French oak. Stylistically it reminded me of a hypothetical blend of a Bordeaux-Medoc and a ripe Napa Cabernet. It’s dark ruby purple and should drink well for 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 92 RPBlackberry, cherry and plum notes form this estate wine’s fruity core, complemented by an earthy thread of cedar, pencil and tobacco. Dry, firm tannins give it a structure that takes time to unwind, the finish marked by powerful grace and spicy clove.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Lastly, the virtually perfect 2014 Chardonnay Cix Estate, planted with a Montrachet clone on Goldridge soils, again exhibits amazing intensity, notes of wet gravel interwoven with apple blossom, caramelized citrus, apricot, white peach and honeysuckle. It is full-bodied, multidimensional and a profound glass of Chardonnay.Robert Parker | 99 RPDense and racy in style, the 2014 Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is one of the more approachable wines in this lineup. Here the Montrachet clone gives a Chardonnay with good up-front intensity and plenty of power. Although attractive, the CIX doesn’t quite have the complexity, nuance or persistence of the best wines in the range.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The 2014 Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard is about as classic example of Calera Pinot Noir as you can find. Loads of sweet black raspberries, sassafras, plums, Asian spice and ginger notes emerge from this ripe, full-bodied, sexy, concentrated 2014 that has plenty of mid-palate depth, nicely integrated acidity, fine tannin and a big finish. It’s a forward, pleasure-bent beauty that shares some similarities to the Selleck Vineyard, and will keep for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2014 Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard offers up a sun-kissed bouquet of cassis, pomegranate, plum preserve, spice and vanilla pod, framed by a touch of new oak. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, richly tannic and firm, with some fine-grained but firm tannins asserting themselves on the finish. Harvested between September 3-18, this was cropped at a tiny yield of 0.54 tons per acre (the historic average for this site is 1.26), and its almost brutal levels of concentration and extract make it hard to read. What’s clear is that several years of patience will be necessary.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe nose of this bottling is extremely focused on black raspberry and grapeseed, and its snappy dark fruit is tempered with agebrush, lavender and mace aromas. Firm and upright tannins frame the palate, where dark cranberry and clove flavors combine for layers of energy and depth.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Calera’s 2014 Pinot Noir Reed Vineyard speaks to grace above all else. Exquisitely perfumed and gracious, the Reed emphasizes aromatics and sweet red fruits. The 100% whole clusters give the wine its distinctive lifted personality and red-toned flavor profile. Intensity without weight is the signature. This is an absolutely beautiful wine in every way. A north-facing site, Reed is the last to be harvested at Calera’s Mt. Harlan site.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThe 2014 Pinot Noir Reed Vineyard is a classic expression of this site and has the hallmark sassafras, mint, rose petal and sweet core of strawberry and raspberry fruit. It’s ethereally textured on the palate, with bright acidity balanced by plenty of fruit and texture. It never has the weight or girth of the other single vineyards, yet always shines for its complexity and vibrancy. In short, it’s a beautiful Pinot Noir that speaks to this great site.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDFrom Josh Jensen’s 4.4-acre vineyard, this bottling offers black plum and mulberry aromas laced with crushed gravel and lavender notes. There is a powerful minty character to the palate, which helps enliven the hearty ripe cranberry and hibiscus elements. A thought-provoking and earthy wine.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2014 Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard is a powerful, bombastic wine with huge fruit and equally imposing tannins that demand patience. Waves of dark, deeply sketched fruit hit the palate in a virile Pinot Noir that is going to need at least several years to truly come into its own. By no means a shy wine, the Ryan also has tremendous potential. In 2014, the Ryan was done with 70% whole clusters, which is a bit lower than normal.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGThe 2014 Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard offers a darker, Côte de Nuits style in its black cherry, mulberry, sassafras, spring flowers and violet aromatics. These give way to a rich, concentrated, spicy Pinot Noir that has beautiful mid-palate depth (as do all the 2015s), ripe tannin and focused, pure, impeccably balanced style.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDDark in color, this wine packs deep blackberry and boysenberry aromas together with violet, allspice and sandalwood. The palate is redolent of licorice and nutmeg, wrapped in an unrelenting texture that lets the black plum and lilac flavors just peek out. Time will allow this to blossom. Drink 2019–2034.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WESaturated ruby-black in hue, the 2014 Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard reveals a rich bouquet of plum preserve, cassis and asphalt, followed by an assertively firm palate that’s carrying a significant payload of stem tannin, but which also possesses a deep core of dark, crunchy fruit and concentration. If everything rounds out with time, this will be a magical wine, as its raw materials are impressive, but for now, it’s very hard to read. This was harvested between September 4-10—early by the standards of this, Calera’s highest-altitude vineyard—and cropped at a tiny yield of 0.81 tons per acre.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2014 Chardonnay Los Alamos Vineyard is rich, flavorful and deeply expressive. Orchard fruit, mint, sweet spices and butter notes meld together in a creamy, beautifully layered Chardonnay endowed with marvelous texture. This is an especially racy, almost flamboyant wine from Gavin Chanin. The Los Alamos is usually a bit more reserved, but in 2014 it is very much on the extroverted side of things. Chanin told me the 2014 Los Alamos (at 14.5% alcohol) is the ripest wine he has ever made.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGLight but tropical notes touch on the fluffy nose of this bottling, with papaya-laced marshmallow, pineapple meringue, lemon curd and a sea salt caramel touch. Chamomile, yellow apple skins, yellow flowers, tight mango and lots of saltiness show on the mouth-watering sip. The buttery character grows as it warms up, but it’s delicious in all temperatures.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThere are 26 barrels of the 2014 Chardonnay Los Alamos Vineyard. It’s a terrific Chardonnay that’s from sandy and calcareous soils and spent 12 months in 30% new French oak. Offering lots of buttered orchard fruits, cream corn, white flowers and hints of brioche and oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, nicely textured and rich, with a supple, soft, ready to go feel.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Fantastic aromas of sweet tobacco, rose petals, mushrooms and dark fruits such as raspberries and currants. Citrus blossom, too. Full body, firm and velvety tannins, yet this remains tight and polished. Very reserved and beautiful. Subtle texture. Savory. You are going to want to drink this now! However, it’s a beauty built for aging. The purity of cabernet sauvignon (95%) is spellbinding.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill is an extraordinary wine with an inky bluish purple color and classic aromatics of crème de cassis, white flowers, lead pencil shavings, pen ink, incense and camphor. It hits the palate with full-bodied richness but not a bit of heaviness. Great precision, vibrant underlying acidity, and sweet, long tannins make this a sumptuous mouthful of wine with a finish of close to 45+ seconds. This fabulous effort can be drunk now or cellared for 25-30 years.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill is beautifully layered throughout, with striking aromatics and tons of nuance. There is no shortage of intensity, but, somewhat uncharacteristically, the Tychson Hill is the least opulent of these four wines. The 2014 has closed down considerably after bottling. From barrel, it was nuanced, classy and super-polished. I suspect it will be all of those things again in a number of years. Dollops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot round out the blend.Vinous Media | 96+ VMOffering aromas of crushed blackberry, graphite, cedar and gravel, this is a rough-and-tumble style that will appeal to fans of rustic, chewy Cabernets. Time should be an asset, as this is smoothing out, maintaining focus. Best from 2020 through 2034. 410 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

One of the most distinctive wines in the range, 2014 Chardonnay Dupratt Vineyard is a wine of phenolic intensity and power. Savory herbs, chamomile, mint and crushed rocks are pushed forward, while the fruit lies more in the background. The flavors are remarkably vivid. This is a gorgeous, nuanced Chardonnay from Copain.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGNo written review provided | 90 W&S

Blackberry and cherry, spice with hints of flowers on the nose. Full body, chewy yet polished and beautiful. This is a fantastic red with complexity and power. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2015 Pinot Noir UV is stunning, concentrated because of the tiny yields. The wine has a dense ruby color and a gorgeous nose of raspberries, forest floor, underbrush and blacker fruits. It is full-bodied, has good acidity, an ethereal fragrance and a long, long finish. It should drink well for 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 96 RPThe 2015 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is fabulous. Bright and floral, with striking freshness, the UV captures all the intensity that is typical of these Pinots while retaining considerable aromatic lift. Sweet red berry, mint, chalk and spice give the wine its brightness, poise and vivacity. This is the most energetic of the three Aubert vineyard-designate Pinots. Yields are down a whopping 50%.Vinous Media | 95 VMTouches all the bases, presenting a mix of richness, flavor, complexity and length, with an overriding sense of completeness that begs for another taste. Drink now through 2026. 711 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Another gem in the lineup, the 2015 Melbury has a more feminine, elegant, seamless profile that certainly doesn’t lack for fruit. Loaded with notions of cassis, blueberries, flowers, and violets, it’s ethereal and elegant on the palate, with sweet fruit and opulence galore. It picks up ample tannins as well as mid-palate depth with time in the glass, is perfectly balanced, and has another 3-4 decades of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe more time passes, the more I think Melbury may turn out to be one of the most complete wines in the BOND range. The 2016 and 2015 both make a very strong case for that view. Tasted from bottle, the 2015 is exceptionally beautiful and vivid. Blood orange, mint and floral notes add nuance to an unbelievably polished, refined Cabernet Sauvignon. Put simply, the 2015 Melbury is a total stunner and every bit as captivating as it was last year.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGBottled in early 2018, the 2015 Melbury is deep garnet-purple colored with beautiful redcurrant jelly and crème de cassis notes with savory notions of tobacco, black olives and smoked meats plus a waft of lavender. The palate is full-bodied, firm and grainy, with a lively line lifting the perfumed, savory layers, finishing long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPBeautiful blueberries, chocolate, walnuts and coffee beans. Full body, firm and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Needs two or three years to soften. Better in 2020.James Suckling | 96 JSBond is Bill Harlan’s ’Burgundian’ approach to a handful of Napa Valley Cabernet vineyards he considers ’Grand Crus’. The Harlan viticultural and winemaking teams are in complete control of the vineyards and make the wines. Melbury (named after a London neighborhood where the owners reside) is a tiny rocky mountain vineyard east of Rutherford. The 2016 has the intoxicating wild berry and mountain ’chaparral’ aromas reminiscent of the dry California forests that ring the valley. Very structured, with discernible tannins, the wine nonetheless exudes freshness. Drinking Window 2023 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECA dense, ripe, loamy style, with lots of licorice, steeped black currant and tar notes in the mix, along with macerated plum and açaí berry and a brambly undertow on the finish. Weighty for sure but has energy, with a good buried iron note on the finish. Best from 2021 through 2035. 340 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Bottled in early 2018, the 2015 Pluribus is deep purple-black colored with minted cassis, pencil shavings and tobacco over a core of black plums, black berry preserves and mulberries plus hints of Chinese five spice and dried lavender. Big, rich, bold and decadent, it has a firm line of super ripe, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness lifting the generous flavors to a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2015 Pluribus comes from the highest elevation vineyard in the lineup, located halfway up Spring Mountain on a southeast facing parcel of volcanic and Aiken soils. Classic Spring Mountain conifer and bay leaf notes are balanced by loads of sweet blue fruits, lavender, and exotic flower nuances. As with all the 2015s, it’s full-bodied and beautifully textured, with a seamless, pure, layered style that carries the sexy vibe of the vintage beautifully. Drink it any time over the coming 30+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDGorgeous aromas of blackberries, flowers, black ink and currants. Full-bodied, rich and powerful like Pluribus. Polished chewy tannins. One of the best wines ever from here. Give it four or five years of balance. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 98 JSAll the elements come together beautifully in the 2015 Pluribus, a wine that captures all the best this challenging vintage had to offer. Inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, blood orange and mint are some of the many notes that take shape. Powerful and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2015 has more than enough fruit and overall richness to play off the structure that is such a signature of this Spring Mountain wine. Complete, multi-dimensional and stunning in its beauty, the 2015 Pluribus is a fitting conclusion to this flight of 2015s from BOND.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGDark and brooding in profile, with a strong charcoal frame around dark currant and warmed fig fruit flavors. Broad and loamy in feel, but there’s depth too, with tobacco, cocoa and bay accents. Well-detailed despite the heft. Just give this some time. Best from 2021 through 2038. 408 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Moving to the 2015s tasted from bottle, this is an incredible vintage for this estate and there are two perfect wines in the lineup. First up, the 2015 St. Eden, from a hillside of red volcanic soils near Oakville, boasts a saturated purple color and heavenly notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, lead pencil shavings, and huge crushed rock-like minerality. It’s full-bodied, deep, and layered on the palate, with incredible concentration, yet it stays seamless, pure, and perfectly balanced. It’s a magical wine to drink over the coming 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDBottled in early 2018, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 St. Eden springs from the glass with exuberant blueberry pie, potpourri and spice cake scents followed by a black raspberry, cassis and preserved plums core plus a touch of wild sage. Full-bodied, plush and decadently fruited, it completely packs the palate with layer upon layer of black fruit preserves, finishing very long with those spices coming through.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThis Eden is much more decadent than ones in the past with mushroom and wet-earth undertones. Full-bodied, very tannic and powerful with lots of richness too. Needs time to come together. Try in 2022.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2015 St. Eden is another wine in this lineup that is not quite as expressive as it can be. Firm tannins dominate over softer contours that so often make St. Eden such an alluring wine. Time in the glass brings out an attractive set of dark cherry, plum, leather and tobacco notes. Even so, the 2015 is going to need a number of years to be at its very best.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThis is big and brawny but also alluring as the charcoal and smoldering tobacco frame melds slowly and steadily into a deep well of black currant and blackberry reduction notes. The finish picks up singed sage brush, alder and cedar accents, and a swath of loam, while the fruit keeps pace. Best from 2022 through 2038. 450 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS