California Wines

wines

Composed of 38% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 23% Syrah and 9% Counoise, the 2015 Oublie 22 has six extra months in barrel compared to the straight Oublie cuvée. With a medium garnet-purple color, it reveals expressive black cherries, dried mulberries and raspberry preserves notes with a spice box and garrigue undercurrent, plus a waft of tapenade. Full-bodied, concentrated and with tons of spices developing in the mouth, it has a chewy frame and plenty of freshness, finishing on a berry preserves note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe extended aged version of the Oublie, the 2015 Oublie 22 (38% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 23% Syrah and 9% Counoise) spent 22 months in barrel and sports a slightly deeper color as well as notes of black cherries, graphite, cured meats, pepper and assorted butcher shop-like notes. It’s slightly more concentrated than the base cuvée, its tannin is slightly more polished, and it will also evolve slightly longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD Structured and stylish, with floral garrigue, crushed stone and blackberry accents that build power and richness toward big but refined tannins.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

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

Very deep inky-purple in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon The G T O gives up pronounced red and black currants notes, black cherries and wild blueberries with touches of underbrush, black olives and lavender plus a waft of cloves. Full-bodied, rich and decadent in the mouth, it reveals layers of red and black fruits with loads of earth and savory nuances, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and plenty of vivacity, finishing long and spicy. Totally tempting to drink this right now but you will be rewarded handsomely if you wait 3-5 years and drink it over the next 20+.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RP

This is fantastic on the nose with blackberries and forest flowers. Very aromatic. Full body with soft, well-integrated and medium-grained tannins. Undertones of black olives. Love the hints of sandalwood. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSBrought up in 20% new barrels, the 2015 Napanook is an awesome wine in its own right, offering classic cassis, tobacco, leafy herbs, and violets notes, with an almost Bordeaux-like earthiness. Full-bodied, incredibly pure and seamless on the palate as well as impeccably balanced, it’s more than worth your time and money.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBottled in July 2017, Dominus’ more approachable, less tannic sister wine, Napanook, is a blend this year of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Napanook Proprietary Red Wine is redolent of crème de cassis, potpourri, plum preserves and violets with hints of dark chocolate, menthol, licorice and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is densely packed with black fruit preserves and earthy layers, supported by firm, ripe, fine-grained tannins and finishing with great length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe 2015 Napanook is dark, plush and inviting, all of which make it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next decade or so. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, spice and licorice notes are all pushed forward in a decidedly lush, open-knit Napanook that will be ready to go pretty much upon release.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

While many contemporary Califor-nia winemakers promote ripe, fruit-forward cabernets, powerfully extracted and richly oaked, Jordan has held to an elegant style since Tom and Sally Jordan’s first vintage, made by Rob Davis, in 1976. Davis was still on board in 2015, working with Maggie Kruse on this wine—Kruse would become the lead winemaker after Davis’s retirement in 2019. The vintage marked a turning point at Jor- dan, achieving a ten-year goal set by John Jordan, Tom and Sally’s son, when he took charge in 2005. He worked with the team to build a grower network in the hills, while planting the winery’s own hillside vineyards to replace the family’s valley-floor vines doomed by phylloxera. He also invested in French oak barrels, shifting from Jordan’s 50-50 French-American barrel regime to reach all French oak in 2015.Wine & Spirits | 95 W&SThis wine represents the first time the winery has aged its red in entirely French oak, switching slowly over from American. Notions of clove and vanilla accent sanguine red fruit and savory elements.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEJordan always swims against the tide, eschewing overt oak and overripeness. The wine is more Bordeaux-like than almost any from California, with subtle hints of herbs and spice, a fresh, clean, mouthwatering profile, and reasonable alcohol. Stick it in the cellar for a decade or more. Drinking Window 2024 - 2044.Decanter | 91 DEC

Made from 100% Merlot, the 2015 Merlot Roberta’s Reserve has a deep garnet-purple color and gorgeous nose of black plums, warm blueberries and mocha with touches of anise, red roses and spice box. Medium to full-bodied and densely packed with layers of blue and black fruits and perfumed notions, it has a firm yet plush backbone to support and a very long, layered finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2015 Merlot Roberta’s Reserve is a textbook expression of Merlot and it has a pretty, yet sexy style to go with lots of blue fruits, violets, leafy herbs and graphite aromas and flavors. Like all the 2015s from this estate, it has sensational purity of fruit, is impeccably balanced, and has ultra-fine tannin. Drink this terrific 2015 anytime over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDSaturated ruby-red. Brooding, medicinal scents of dark cherry, menthol and licorice. Boasts outstanding breadth and density of material, with its expressive flavors of black cherry, dark berries, spices and bitter chocolate complicated by salty minerality and lifted by a subtle floral quality. This distinctly soil-driven wine is showing more personality today than the ’16 and should reach its plane of peak drinkability earlier. And yet my sample tightened up in the glass to show a rather powerful tannic spine. (14.4% alcohol; 100% Merlot; from fruit harvested three weeks earlier than in 2016; 88% new French, 3% new Hungarian and 9% second-fill French)Vinous Media | 96 VMA juicy and rich red with dark berries, hazelnuts and chocolate. Some tile, too. Full and juicy with lots of fruit. Hints of salt, crushed stones and oyster shell. A pure merlot this year. Layered and juicy. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvee is an inky, full-bodied, majestic Cabernet Sauvignon that should be a candidate for perfection in a decade. Black currants, the essence of blackberries, crushed rocks, gravely minerality and charcoal all emerge from this incredible, full-bodied, massive wine that’s still backward and tight. Brought up in 80% new barrels, forget bottles for 3-4 years and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 J Daniel Cuvee bursts forth with gregarious blackcurrant pastilles, black cherries and warm plum notes backed up by notions of spice cake, mocha and licorice. The full-bodied palate is powerfully fruited with opulent exotic spices accenting the black forest cake notions, framed by plush tannins and finishing with epic length. A beautifully buxom showstopper!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvée is every bit as compelling as it was last year. Powerful and dramatic, the 2015 bursts from the glass with tons of intensity. The black cherry, chocolate, plum, mocha, licorice and new leather flavors are all amped up. Even with all of its overt richness, the 2015 shows quite a bit of detail in its layered personality and feel. All the elements simply meld together effortlessly. Antonio Galloni | 97 AG

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

Even better and my favorite of the trio (although this is splitting hairs since all three are sensational wines), the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon offers the more flamboyant, sexy style of the vintage and has a huge nose of crème de cassis, scorched earth, graphite, and crushed flowers. It’s a singular, exotic wine that has full-bodied richness and depth yet never seems heavy or cumbersome, possessing incredible purity of fruit and perfect balance. The 2015 is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot. I’d be thrilled if I had bottles in the cellar and it should deliver the goods for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2015 Ovid is a rich and racy wine. Here, too, the style is noticeably more refined and polished than in the past. Dark red cherry, plum, lavender, rose petal and mint give the wine much of its tonic energy. Fresh, perfumed and lively, the 2015 is showing beautifully, even at this early stage. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s textural richness and body nicely. Ovid is rarely this expressive in the early going.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGA blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Proprietary Red Wine comes charging out of the gate with gregarious crushed black cherries, chocolate mint and crème de cassis scents plus suggestions of red roses, Christmas cake, sandalwood, cloves and unsmoked cigars with a waft of shaved pencils. Full-bodied, concentrated and boldly fruited, with wonderfully decadent in the mouth, the plushly textured palate gives bags of spicy black fruits and a minty kick to the epically long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA beauty, with waves of red and black currant puree rolling through steadily, while tar, licorice snap, apple wood and briar notes swirl around. Authoritative grip lies underneath, allowing the fruit to keep playing out on the very long finish. A large wine that should be long-lived. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2040. 392 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Coming from Napa, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard steps up on the richness scale and has Pauillac-like notes of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers, mineral, and both red and black fruits. With full-bodied richness, a silky, layered texture, and straight-up brilliant purity, it’s a blockbuster Napa Cabernet that stays firmly in the classic style of David Ramey. Drink it over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDCofermented with 11% Petit Verdot, this is a serious, classically made wine from the generous appellation, Old World in its grippy structure and full embrace of cedar, pencil shavings and dried herb. Clove and peppercorn provide additional spice around a length of firm, integrated tannin and oak, finishing in a sanguine element of meat. Enjoy 2025–2030.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard is deep ruby-purple with aromas of mint chocolate and laurel, split cedar, pencil shavings, toasted cardamom, warm blackcurrant, blackcurrant bud, red cherries and licorice. Full-bodied, dense and rich in the mouth with integrated but firm, ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, it finishes long and dense. This still needs plenty of time in bottle! 647 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPA range of sage, mint and sassafras aromas leads off, followed by alluring raspberry and plum fruit. Shows a lightly mulled edge as all the elements meld together. Maintains a suave feel and lingers seductively on the finish. Best from 2020 through 2030. 647 cases made. Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard is not quite as expressive as I thought it would be, given how some of the other wines show in this tasting. But it is also a more important wine and may simply be going through a stubborn phase. Red cherry, red plum, chocolate and licorice fill out the wine’s layered frame nicely. I would give this mid-weight Cabernet another year or two in bottle.Vinous Media | 93+ VM

This is a powerful and dense sparkling wine that is first and foremost a classic-quality wine. And then you think about the bubbles. Full-bodied with lots of brioche, pie crust and bread dough. Great finish. Five years on the lees. 52% chardonnay and 48% pinot noir. Drink now.James Suckling | 97 JSThis grand, special-occasion wine is wonderfully complex and layered, but also powerful in the way its toasted walnut, Bosc pear and fresh bread flavors start out strong in the aroma and keep pumping on the palate and through a lingering finish. Nice and dry, tangy but mouthfilling, it’s a sophisticated indulgence. Best now to 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE(Roederer Estate “l’Ermitage” Brut Vintage (Anderson Valley)) The 2015 vintage of l’Ermitage has continued to open up nicely over the course of the last eight months since I last had the pleasure to drink the wine. It is certainly going to be one of the more powerful and long-lived vintages of this flagship bottling, but it is already quite open and enjoyable to drink in its relative youth. As is customary, the wine’s cépages is slightly tilted to chardonnay, with the blend being fifty-two percent chardonnay and forty-eight percent pinot noir. It was finished with a dosage of eight grams per liter in this vintage. The wine remains youthfully complex on the nose, offering up scents of apple, pear, a lovely base of soil tones, gentle smokiness, warm bread and a bit of incipient nuttiness just starting to show in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and soil-driven, with a superb core, elegant mousse, excellent focus and grip and a long, complex and utterly refined finish. Fine, fine juice in the making. (Drink between 2022-2070)John Gilman | 94 JG

A barrel sample, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay Vineyard is deep garnet-purple in color with an earthy/herbal nose of black cherry and blackberry notions plus scents of incense, dusty earth and menthol. Full-bodied, rich and very earthy in the mouth, it offers plush tannins and a long, layered finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPFresh, with racy streaks of violet and anise running alongside the pure blueberry, raspberry and cassis flavors. Offers a polished feel through the finish, showing savory-tinged energy and detail, not just sheen. A lovely expression of Cabernet. Best from 2020 through 2035. 3,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe most polished of the producer’s top-tier Cabernets, this is supple and mouthfilling, with a backbone to support the richness. Layers of briary blackberry, cedar, sandalwood and spice unfold. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030Decanter | 93 DECNext to the S.L.V., the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay is sensual, silky and polished, with lovely fruit purity to match its mid-weight personality. Although the Fay is less exuberant than the S.L.V., it offers better balance and a more harmonious expression of Stags Leap. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, cedar and dried flowers are nicely lifted throughout.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGAn herbal imprint permeates across this wine—a bright expression of the grape that’s earthy and lingering in tobacco, cigar box and pencil shavings. Clove, currant and sage play prominent roles across a landscape of full-bodied balance and complexity.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

The 2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard flirts with perfect and is another incredible effort from the Sonoma Coast. Deeply colored, with ripe cherries, underbrush, black currants, graphite, blood orange, and forest floor notes, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ample tannin, a big mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. Despite being a rich, powerful wine, it shows remarkable elegance and purity, as well as a weightless, seamless texture. Brought up in 70% new French oak, drink it over the coming decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDMedium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard sports a very earthy nose laced with underbrush, damp soil and mossy bark over a black fruit core plus a pretty perfumed undercurrent of sandalwood, aniseed and dried flowers. The full-bodied palate is big, exuberant, rich and firmly structured, with chewy tannins supporting the muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. Give it another year or two in bottle and drink it over the next decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA powerful, rich wine endowed with tremendous drive, the Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most overt, flamboyant wine in the range. A rush of black cherry, game, blood orange and spice fills out the wine’s ample frame effortlessly. The UV-SL is the darkest and most obviously ripe of the vineyard designated Pinots. There is plenty of personality, that much is evident.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Exotic aromas of dried fruit, flowers, bark, sandalwood and dried flowers. Pine cone, too. Full-bodied with wonderful, refined tannins with riper tannins that show softness and pretty length. Harmonious. Just a hint of chocolate. A beautiful 1970s vibe to this. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 14% cabernet franc, 9% malbec and 5% petit verdot. Drinkable now, but even better in a few years.James Suckling | 97 JSA beautifully balanced wine from a beautifully balanced vintage. The nose is succulent and rich in blackberry fruit. It’s concentrated, of course, but also svelte and elegant, with bold but ripe tannins. Although dense, it’s very polished, with solidity but not heaviness. Very long.Drinking Window 2023 - 2038Decanter | 95 DEC

One of the more expressive wines in the range, the 2016 Pinot Noir de Villiers Vineyard is soft, open knit and gracious, with an attractive combination of dark red cherry/plum fruit and the more floral/savory notes that develop from the 50% whole clusters. Lavender, mint, pine and sweet spice add layers of dimension to this supple, inviting Pinot from Calera. There is so much to like here.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGDe Villiers was planted in 1997 on largely east-facing slopes high on Mt. Harlan. Josh Jensen used that fruit to produce this dark, smoky pinot noir. It quickly sheds its leather savor in favor of dark, burnished cherry spiced with pipe tobacco, cradled by oak but hardly dominated by it. Showing well now, it’s built for the long haul. (W&S 8/19; 1,220 cases) —P.J.C.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SAged 17 months in 30% new French oak, the pale to medium ruby-purple colored 2016 Pinot Noir deVilliers Vineyard opens with warm blueberries, dried cherries and cranberries aromas with notions of fresh strawberries, dried herbs, dusty earth, underbrush and charcuterie. The palate is light to medium-bodied with earth and Angostura bitters-laced fruits, a grainy frame and bright freshness on the finish. 1,220 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThere is impressive density to the bottling, starting with aromas of roasted black cherry and blackberry as well as cocoa and wood spice. It’s heavy on the palate with full flavors of blackberry, bay leaf and more dark chocolate.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEConcentrated and richly spiced, with flavors of cherry, raspberry and red currant that are well-knit and feature lively mineral and cedary accents. Creamy finish. Drink now through 2023. 1,220 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2016 Cariad Proprietary Red Wine is blended of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it has wonderful purity of black fruits—preserved plums, blackcurrants and black raspberries—with nuances of iron ore, crushed rocks, fertile loam, cedar chest and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied, concentrated, muscular and built like a brick house, it has very firm, grainy tannins and refreshing acidity, finishing incredibly long and mineral. This should be very, very long lived.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe highlight in this range today, the 2016 Cariad is utterly magnificent. Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot give the wine soaring aromatic intensity and striking savoriness to play off the racy, forward fruit. Time in barrel has done wonders to meld all the elements together. Today, the Cariad is dense, explosive and super-expressive. And yet my sense is that the 2016 still has quite a bit of room to grow. Even at this early stage, the 2016 is a total stunner. The symbiosis of David Abreu fruit and Allision Tauziet’s winemaking makes for an electric, unforgettable 2016. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 100 VMAmazing aromas of dark fruit and sweet, subtle tobacco. Complex. Multidimensional. Hypnotic. Full-bodied, very plush and rich on the palate with layers of fruit and tannins. Yet, it remains cool.James Suckling | 98 JSComing from the Madrona Ranch and a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2016 Cariad is a more powerful, concentrated, burly effort that has a massive amount of black and blue fruits, charcoal, savory herbs, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. This beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, loads of tannins, a deep, stacked mid-palate, and a huge finish. Where the Tychson Hill is power married to elegance, this beauty is more power and structure. It needs at least a decade of cellaring.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDRich and very suave in style, with a gorgeous core of pure plum, blackberry and cassis notes sailing through the long finish, which is supported by a well-buried graphite edge that allows the creamy feel to gain the upper hand while keeping everything grounded. A beautiful display of restrained power. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. To be released March 2020. Best from 2021 through 2035. 750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Dunn’s 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a pretty, easygoing wine that readers will be able to drink with minimal cellaring. Medium in body with good brightness, the 2016 has quite a bit to offer. Sweet red fruit and floral notes add perfume to the nicely lifted finish. The Napa Valley Cabernet was bottled recently and is a bit reticent, but it offers fine potential. Pretty savory and floral notes extend the finish nicely.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGFeatures solid blackberry and raspberry compote notes mixed with red and black licorice and fruitcake flavors. Youthfully packed now, this offers a well-buried juicy spine and an engaging briary edge on the finish, while the fruit easily keeps pace. Will age well. Best from 2021 through 2032. 1,350 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(Cabernet Sauvignon “Napa Valley”- Dunn Vineyards) I had not tasted a young vintage of cabernet from Randy Dunn in a month of Mondays and was delighted to find the 2016 Napa bottling included in a recent delivery of samples. The wine comes in listed at 13.9 percent octane and offers up a fine young nose of cassis, sweet dark berries, cigar wrapper, a fine base of soil tones, a discreet framing of spicy new oak and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, ripe, full-bodied and nicely chewy (in that inimitable Dunn style), with a superb core of fruit, firm, well-integrated tannins and a long, nascently complex and promising finish. There is just a whisper of backend heat here that suggests the octane is a touch higher than reported, but the wine remains well-balanced and will age very nicely. Like all proper vintages from Dunn Vineyards, it will want a wee bit of bottle age! (Drink between 2030-2080).John Gilman | 92+ JG

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Estate Vineyard (84% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot) spent 22 months in 80% new French oak. It has a more mineral-laced style as well as dark currants and cassis-like fruits, notes of smoked herbs and graphite, full body, building tannins, and a great finish. There’s a touch of this liqueur of rock like minerality that comes out with air and it’s a powerful, structured wine that reminds me of what Leoville Las Cases would make from Napa. Hide bottle for 4-5 years and drink it over the coming two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDA tight, chewy red with blackberry and dark-chocolate aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, layered and rich. Flavorful finish. Shows mountain firmness. Drink in 2022 and onwards.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Estate Vineyard is a dark, brooding wine. A terrific example of Sonoma Cabernet, the 2016 possesses superb textural richness and intensity to match its dark, somber profile. An infusion of inky dark fruit, gravel, smoke, iron, game, dark spice, leather and licorice runs through this super expressive, rugged Cabernet Sauvignon from the Fisher family’s Spring Mountain estate.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGDeep ruby-purple, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Estate Vineyard opens with gregarious crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, graphite, leather and spice box with notes of thyme, turned earth and eucalyptus. Medium to full-bodied, it floods the mouth with intense, youthfully wound fruit, framed by grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing very long. This is vibrant and intense and will require another 3-5 years of bottle age. 952 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is just as impressive today as it was from barrel last year. Dark, dense and explosive, the 2016 is a wine of real personality. A rush of black cherry, plum, chocolate, sage and licorice makes a strong opening statement, but there is plenty of underlying structure to back things up as well. Even with all of its obvious power and structure, the 2016 remains finessed and understated. I can’t wait to see how it ages.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGTight and polished with firm and creamy tannins. Hints of dark chocolate to the currant and berry character. Medium to full body. Fresh, tight finish. A wine that will improve beautifully with age, but delicious and fresh now. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia takes things up a notch and offers lots of currants, crème de cassis, tobacco, chocolate and earthy notes in a full-bodied, rounded, pure, and elegant package. It’s impeccably balanced, has beautiful purity, and a great finish. There’s enough structure here to warrant a year or three of bottle age and it will keep for 15-20 years. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc, and 1.5% Merlot, all aged 22 months in 92% new French oak. (Drink between 2021-2041)Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

Ric Forman’s 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is all class. The 2016 won’t be ready to drink for at least another few years, but it is already super attractive, and also very typical of Ric Forman’s style. Lavender, spice, and red cherry run through this wine made in a mid-weight, translucent style that is all class and finesse.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

Beautiful aromas of ripe cabernet sauvignon with blackcurrants and perfume that follow through to a full body, firm and silky tannins and a pretty long finish. Shows poise and polish. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 94 JSThe base cuvée is the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec sourced all from Rutherford. It has a classic, Saint Julien-like bouquet of crème de cassis, tobacco lead, damp earth, and spice that gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated, textured Cabernet that hits all the right marks. The top Rubicon release has a touch more elegant and precision, but this isn’t far off. Drink this stunner any time over the coming 20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is elegant, polished and nuanced, with lovely inner sweetness and soft contours - both of which give the wine much of its overall immediacy and appeal. Medium in body and caressing, the 2016 has so much to offer. This is an especially accessible, young 2016 that already drinks well.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with notions of cherry tart, redcurrant jelly, freshly crushed blackberries and wild blueberries with hints of pencil lead, tobacco and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate possesses plenty of juicy black and blue berries with a firm, chewy frame and savory finish. 7,475 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThis impressive wine opens in a bouquet of violet and dried herb, with an intensity of tannin power at its back. Red and black currant, cranberry and clove combine in a seam of textured complexity and nuanced flavor. Enjoy 2026–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEJuicy blackberry and red currant fruit is stitched with bramble and anise notes, backed by an apple wood accent on the finish. Still a bit tight, so give this a little time. Best from 2021 through 2027.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

This is a powerful and structured red with full body, focused and polished tannins and a long and flavorful finish. It’s very close to the great 2013. A blend of 93 per cent cabernet sauvignon and seven per cent cabernet franc. Needs three or four years to come around.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is powerful, dark and unctuous, while retaining a super-classic sense of structure. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, leather, spice and menthol infuse the 2016 with striking textural depth and sweetness.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe flagship 2016 Rubicon checks in as 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc, and there are close to 4,000 cases produced. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts a stunning nose of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, cedarwood, and lead pencil shavings as well as even a hint of iron. These carry to a full-bodied 2016 that has terrific dept of fruit, solid mid-palate concentration, building tannins, and a great finish. This is a classic, age-worthy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that will benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age and keep for 3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDBlended of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon gives up bold notions of crushed red and black currants, wild blueberries and blackberry preserves with touches of violets, dark chocolate, cardamom and bay leaves plus a hint of unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals great elegance and depth, with a beautiful line of finely grained tannins and amazing freshness, finishing long and layered. 3,847 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPIn 2010 there was a change of winemaker at Rubicon, and the new arrival was Philippe Bascaules from Château Margaux. He soon made changes that were, one assumes, aimed at bringing more elegance and less density to the wine. This is certainly apparent here - the nose is ripe and vibrant, with intense mint and blackberry aromas that display purity of fruit and well-judged oak. Suave and polished, it shows finer tannins than the 2006, and enough acidity to give punch and persistence. It has a drier finish than most Napa Cabernets, which often have a sweetness that may be derived from high alcohol. So, there’s a welcome austerity here and this will age well. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThis is an intriguingly feral, herbal and classically styled wine, dripping in sage, toasted oak and wrap-around tannin. Cranberry, clove and cassis form a tangle of nuanced, graceful flavor nestled within a core of impressive structure. This is one to put away for awhile; enjoy best 2026—2036.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEWhen Philippe Bascaules arrived at Inglenook in 2011, the estate’s Cask Cabernet was defined by its red-fruit character while Rubicon was defined by black fruit. He preferred to focus on the wine’s texture. Now commuting between Rutherford and Château Margaux, where he had worked for two decades with Paul Pontallier, he has changed the viticultural practice at Inglenook. In 2016, Rubicon is neither red nor black—in fact, it’s more blueberry in flavor. But what sets it apart is the plump, polished, mineral texture. As a young wine, it’s shy, gentle, finely structured cabernet, with no rough edges. There’s a sense of certainty, however, that such a wine, from a team secure enough to present it without youthful fanfare, will evolve to express the detail and complexity of this vineyard, its track record proven for more than a century. It’s a different way to think about Napa Valley Cabernet.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SA savory hint leads the way, followed quickly by ample red currant and blackberry fruit flavors. Tobacco and freshly plowed earth accents score the finish, where the savory element lingers. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2021 through 2030. 3,847 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

One-hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 75% new French oak, the 2016 J. Daniel Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color and offers up exuberant notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, wild blueberries, violets and unsmoked cigars with touches of garrigue, fragrant earth, powdered cinnamon, black olives and tree bark. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, with a solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness supporting the taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and minerally. 950 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe flagship 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvee takes things up to whole other level and is a thrill a minute. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, from the Mole Hill, Vine Hill Ranch, and Heimark vineyards that spent 20 months in 75% new oak, it sports a deep purple color as well as a spectacular bouquet of crème de cassis, black raspberries, graphite, and spicy oak. Possessing incredible purity, full-bodied richness, building structure, and a big finish, it’s a quintessential, age-worthy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that I suspect will require more than a decade to hit prime time and will keep for 3+ decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDLove the green olives, blackberries and sweet tobacco. Hints of walnuts and wet earth. Full-bodied yet reserved and very tight with beautiful richness and focus. Dense and exciting. A blend of Oakville and Howell Mountain. Great Napa cab. Try after 2022.James Suckling | 97 JSLail’s 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon John Daniel Cuvée is absolutely fabulous. Dark, powerful and brooding, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon John Daniel Cuvée offers superb intensity and richness in all of its dimensions. Black cherry, plum, graphite, smoke, licorice and dark spice add to an impression of gravitas and pure, brooding power. Game, smoke, tobacco, grilled herbs, gravel and scorched earth undertones add the closing shades of nuance. Vineyard sources are Heimark, Vine Hill Ranch and Mole Hill.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis is very solid, with a core of steeped currant and blackberry fruit that weaves into licorice, dark tobacco and loam notes. The finish shows light polish, letting the fruit and earth elements take center stage together. Drink now through 2028. 955 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Blackberries and blueberries with hints of fresh herbs. Some black olives. Medium to full body, integrated and polished tannins and a beautiful, fruity and polished finish. Best wine ever from here. A blend of mostly cabernet sauvignon with tinges of cabernet franc and malbec.James Suckling | 97 JSFrom a myriad of top sites around the valley and a collaboration between Jean Hoefliger and Michel Rolland, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich, powerful, full-bodied beauty that has lots of ripe black fruits, licorice, scorched earth, and tobacco aromas and flavors. It’s thrillingly textured, opulent and hedonistic, with sweet tannins and a great finish. A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Cabernet Franc and Malbec brought up in 80% new French oak, give it 2-4 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades. 580 cases.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDA blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon with dollops of Cabernet Franc and Malbec, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon MR is very deep purple-black in color and gives up bold scents of baked blueberries, plum preserves, spice cake and mocha with hints of chargrilled meats, sandalwood and dusty soil plus a waft of garrigue. Full, concentrated and packed with black fruit preserves and savory layers, it has a solid yet plush frame and very long, spicy finish. 580 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPMichel Rolland’s Cabernet Sauvignon MR is very beautiful in 2016. Less bombastic than in the past, the Rolland Cabernet is, dare I say it, almost understated. Expressive dark red cherry jam, wild flowers, spice and bittersweet chocolate all run through this pretty, highly nuanced Cabernet. There is an effortless grace to the 2016 that is impossible to miss. Floral notes reappear on the finish to add an attractive lift to the red-toned fruit. Vineyard sources are Newton, Dr. Crane and To Kalon.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG