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The 2019 Dominus is blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, aged in 40% new French oak. Impressively dark-hued in the glass, it yields scents of cherries and cassis on the nose—or is it black cherries and redcurrants? Subtle notes of mocha, pencil shavings and almost Graves-like earthiness wind through the concentrated, medium to full-bodied palate, giving it a sense of savory gravitas, while the finish is silky and long, leaving a lingering residue of soft tannins and mouthwatering freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2019 Dominus is shockingly primary. A wine of tremendous density and power, the 2019 is also a wine for readers who can be patient, as it won’t be ready to drink for another 10-15 years! Dark fruit, leather, tobacco, incense, dried herbs and scorched earth lend striking complexity. The 2019 is a huge wine that needs time to come into its own. This is impressive, to say the least.Vinous Media | 98+ VMLots of crushed stone, lead pencil and licorice aromas that are extremely aromatic and bright. Black cherries, cloves and purple fruit, too. Full body and a round and ripe center-palate with a juicy interior. It opens at the end with a savory and juicy finish. Layered and beautiful. Drinkable now, but better in three or four years.James Suckling | 98 JSA loaded wine, though reserved in style, with waves of dense cassis, plum reduction and blackberry preserves moving through authoritatively, while sweet bay leaf, warm loam and tobacco accents fill in the background. The long cast iron spine is deeply buried in the fruit, and this has superior cut and drive. Built for serious cellaring, too. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040. 3,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSFrom a slightly more challenging year for this estate due to the heavy springtime rains, the 2019 Dominus is a classic blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc from this team brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. It offers a more ruby/plum and borderline opaque hue as well as a great nose of ripe currants, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and a touch of loamy earth. This round, supple, medium to full-bodied effort has soft tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. It’s not going to match the all-time greats here, but it’s a charming, endearing Cabernet that will offer incredible pleasure with just 3-5 years of bottle age and drink well for 20+ years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD

Wonderful aromas of blue fruit, black olives and violets. Lead pencil throughout. Crushed stones, too. Hints of mint and seaweed. Full-bodied with tannins that spread across the palate. It starts off with a bang, with tannins that take you deep into the wine. It’s endless on the finish. It goes on for minutes. Velvet and polished texture. Better after 2026.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville is a blend mostly from Meteor. A stunning wine, the 2019 possesses off the charts richness and tremendous depth that just builds with time in the glass. Inky dark fruit, plum, spice, licorice, menthol and crushed berries saturate the palate. The 2019 is one of the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Andy Erickson and Annie Favia. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 98 VMErickson makes some of the greatest wines from the Coombsville appellation, and his 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville is a great example of the quality he’s able to achieve. Darker currants, blue fruits, tobacco, lead pencil, and violets notes all define the bouquet, and I always find a certain Saint-Julien-like quality from this appellation, which is present here. Full-bodied, with a great mid-palate, some chocolaty oak, and velvety tannins, this is another rich yet powerful Cabernet Sauvignon that will benefit from just short term-cellaring and cruise for two decades in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDA new addition to the Place de Bordeaux this year - the eponymous project of husband and wife duo; viticulturist Annie Favia and winemaker Andy Erickson. This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Coombsville reflecting the gravelly, volcanic terroir and proximity to San Pablo Bay with a minimal interventionist practise. Powerful and expressive nose, extremely aromatic, but feels direct and quite detailed. Juicy and alive, you feel the life pulsing through this wine, it’s got depth of flavour but the texture is light graceful piercing almost with a sharp crisp tang that is so thrilling. The acidity is there giving life and joy to the blackcurrant and berry fruits and this has such detail and nuance in the savoury earthy edges; smoked meats, liquorice, dark chocolate dusting, iodine-soy saltiness, strawberry tang and long finish. Well structured, with balance and elegance and lovely details throughout. So much character here.Decanter | 96 DECAromas of pencil shavings, dried sage and blueberry appear on the nose of the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville. All Cabernet Sauvignon blended from three area vineyards, it’s medium to full-bodied, concentrated, dense and savory. Firmly built, with a couple of decades ahead of it, it’s a super effort.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPDelivers deliciously punchy blackberry, açaí and fig paste enlivened with apple wood, dried anise and warm cast iron notes. This has serious cut and drive through the finish, too, as the fruit sails through. Best from 2023 through 2036. 446 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

A new addition to the Place de Bordeaux this year - the eponymous project of husband and wife duo; viticulturist Annie Favia and winemaker Andy Erickson. A beautifully scented nose full of rose and violet touches, the Cabernet Franc nuances leap from the glass - fresh and minty, full of herbal sun-kissed ripe fruit but pristinely delivered. Smooth and driving on the palate, crunchy, crisp flavours give a real bite to the palate - red berries, blackcurrants and raisins, all nicely integrated and balanced. This doesn’t feel super worked and polished, instead it gives crystalline iron-minerality, lifted acidity and fragrance throughout - real signatures of the terroir and the minimal interventionist winemaking style - the grapes speak more than the winemaking. I just love the sense of wildness, a smoked touch with blue fruits, Asian spices and slightly angular tannins but with ripe fruit giving the body and cool acidity giving the freshness. A stunning wine and welcome addition to the Place. Ageing in French oak barrels (50% new).Decanter | 100 DECFrom a north-facing site at elevation, the 2019 Cerro Sur is a bold, savory wine loaded with energy. This Cabernet Franc-based wine is bursting with tension. Floral, spice and mocha accents lend striking aromatic top notes. I am so impressed with the wine’s elegance and total sense of finesse. This is an especially savory wine with strong cool-climate aromas and flavors that are so captivating.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis mostly cabernet franc shows intriguing character of tar, graphite, ink and black berries, following through to a medium to full body with layered and slightly dusty tannins and a succulent finish. So drinkable now, but will improve with age.James Suckling | 97 JSComing from a higher elevation site in Coombsville and mostly Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Cerro Sur has a complex, gorgeous nose of pure cassis, currant buds, flowers, and chocolate. This red, blue, and black fruited beauty is medium to full-bodied, with silky tannins and flawless balance. Brought up in 50% new French oak, it’s an incredible 2019 readers will absolutely love. It will evolve for upwards of two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSuperjuicy and vivid, with lots of up-front violet, cassis and plum pâte de fruit notes backed by tasty licorice and sweet spice. Toasted finish, but the fruit wins out easily, with a flash of sweet bay leaf adding nice range. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2036. 250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSComing in at more than 70% Cabernet Franc—and aged in 50% new French oak—the 2019 Cerro Sur Red Wine is vaguely herbal, with black tea-like notes and hints of sage accenting black cherries and plums. Medium to full-bodied, silky and fine, this displays the hallmark Favia Erickson traits of balance and elegance—there’s absolutely nothing out of place here.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Another beautiful wine from this team, the 2019 Insignia is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon but includes smaller amounts of Merlot and Malbec, brought up all in new barrels, sourced from seven estate vineyards. It has a classic varietal and incredibly complex nose of crème de cassis, freshly sharpened pencils, green tobacco, and damp earth, with a kiss of background sappy spring flowers. Seemingly from a cooler year with its freshness, vibrancy, and herbal, floral character on the nose, it’s nevertheless full-bodied and beautifully concentrated on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, and a gorgeous finish. Unquestionably up with the finest vintages of this cuvée, this is legit awesome juice that’s going to offer incredible pleasure over the coming 20-25 years. Hats off to winemaker Ashley Hepworth.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA very aromatic Insignia with pencil-shaving and graphite highlights to the dark fruit and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet tensioned and vertical, with very fine tannins that run deep and layered in the wine. Needs time to come together, but fantastic tension and structure. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSSmells ripe and heady on the nose, expressive and seductive. This is rich and bold, it’s edging on too much, with lots of wood on show in the slightly heavy texture, liquorice and coffee flavour and fullness in the mouth but there are such alluring and captivating aspects to this wine with striking details of rose, tobacco, blackberry, red berries and dark chocolate shavings on show. I like the fragranced aspects and the energetic acidity that gives lift and a sense of brightness but this is a strong, powerful and muscular wine that will need at least a decade to come around. Given enough time it will be beautiful. Ageing 24 months in 100% new French oak.Decanter | 97 DECMore elegant and refined than the Napa Cab, the 2019 Insignia features restrained cedar and vanilla notes (despite spending two years in 100% new French oak) and delicate herbal shadings accenting cassis and black cherry fruit. Full-bodied, velvety and somewhat open-knit on the palate, it turns plush and long on the finish, adding a touch of warmth. Production this year is approximately 17,000 cases, reflecting the increased volume coming from recently replanted vineyards. It’s remarkable what a good job they continue to do with this bottling year after year, without compromising on quality.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2019 Insignia is a bold, explosive wine. Sumptuous dark fruit, mocha, leather, sweet spice and tobacco are all amplified in an Insignia endowed with tremendous textural intensity and plenty of soft contours. I imagine the 2019 will age well for years, but it will also drink well with minimal cellaring.Vinous Media | 96+ VMA solidly built Cabernet with a very direct persona, as dark currant, warmed fig reduction and blackberry fruit paste are bolted together with licorice root and singed cedar. Features an espresso crema hint on the finish, which keeps this on the dark, muscular side. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Best from 2023 through 2038. 17,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSGiven two years in new French oak, this vintage blends 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. Brooding black fruit is complemented by classic notions of cigar box, tobacco, iron and clove, with a leather texture that’s still got time to unfurl. Dense and chewy tannins provide a powerful imprint of intensity and ripeness matched in toasted oak. Enjoy best from 2029–2039.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the gate with vivacious scents of blueberry compote, blackcurrant preserves, chocolate box and star anise, plus wafts of Indian spices, fragrant soil, potpourri and cast-iron pan, with a touch of pencil lead. Full-bodied, concentrated and with a solid backbone of super ripe, approachable tannins, it has bags of preserved black fruits and an epically long finish. Although delicious now, allow it 3-4 years in the cellar to truly blossom, and drink it over the next 25 years+.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPJust bottled in June of this year, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is more up-front and sexy compared to the more focused, elegant 2018, yet it has a similar level of purity and class. Lots of cassis fruits, spicy oak, lead pencil, and subtle floral and spicy notes define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and one heck of a great finish. This is another remarkable St. Helena Cabernet that’s already hard to resist yet has the balance, purity, and structure to evolve for 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Marciano Estate is one of the finest wines I have tasted from Marciano so far. A rich, potent Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 possesses quite a bit of opulence. Black cherry, leather, spice, menthol and chocolate all build effortlessly. This, dark, brooding Cabernet has plenty of tannin and overall punch, with all the elements very nicely balanced.Vinous Media | 96 VM

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon continues to show brilliantly. (I rated it 97-100 from barrel last year.) It has a quintessential Cabernet nose of pure crème de cassis, crushed stone, lead pencil, graphite, and tobacco that gains depth and richness with time in the glass. Deep, full-bodied, rich, and incredibly textured, yet still fresh, light on its feet, and beautifully balanced, this gorgeous Cabernet shows what’s possible with the variety from Paso Robles.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDThe 2019 Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon was made with free-run juice and matured for 30 months in 100% new French oak. It has a deep ruby color and alluring tones of truffle, brown sugar and coffee to begin, opening with time to very pure cassis, boysenberry, tobacco, garrigue and aniseed. The palate is supple and fresh with surprisingly restrained, mineral-laced fruits and a fan of spicy accents across the long finish. This ultra sleek, elegant Cabernet evolves continually in the glass and has the harmonious structure it needs to go the distance in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPOpaque in color, the wine opens with intense yet elegant aromas of cassis, toasted espresso and roasted walnut paste. Polished tannins frame the rich sip, loaded with scorched earth, dark cassis and purple-flower flavors, proving very dry yet luxurious, with a lingering finish.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEDeep, rich and plush on the nose showing cassis, blackberries with hints of dark olives, fennel, dark chocolate, cigar box and elderberry characters. Full-bodied and fleshy on the palate with an abundance of tannins, which are extremely fine-grained. Restrainedly opulent, deep, structured and long. Still a hint of white sesame character from the barrels, but will integrate in a year or two. Drinkable but better after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSInky garnet. Expansive, smoke-tinged dark fruit preserves, oak spices and vanilla on the nose. In a plush, broad style, offering sweet black currant, cherry liqueur, mocha and vanilla flavors and a spicy touch of cracked pepper. Smooth, well-knit tannins add shape to a long, smoky finish that leaves cherry pie and candied licorice notes behind. All new French oak.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Coming from a rockier site no more than a stone’s throw from Dr. Crane Vineyard, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is more meaty and savory, with lots of red and black fruits as well as loads of rocky, earthy minerality, spring flower, tobacco, and lead pencil-like nuances. Just beautifully balanced on the palate, it’s full-bodied and elegant, with silky tannins, no hard edges, and one incredible finish. It’s more red-fruited than the Dr. Crane, yet it has a similar ethereal, weightless style that makes it such a joy to drink, even today. Given its balance, purity, and freshness, I have no doubt it will evolve for 25+ years, and I’m probably underrating it by a point.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDSuperb aromas of blackberries, currants, crushed stones, conifer and wet earth. Menthol, too. Full-bodied with a dense center-palate, yet it remains agile and persistent. Lovely character and richness at the finish, but not overpowering. Another three or four years will make it better, but already gorgeous.James Suckling | 98 JSA bit further west than the Dr. Crane Vineyard, with more slope, bigger rocks and a bit more protection from the afternoon sun, this vineyard has yielded a stunning 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard. It leads off with scents of cedar and baking spices, then backs those up with notes of black cherries and cassis. Full-bodied, richly textured and tannic but ripe, this finishes long, with mouthwatering fruit balanced against silky tannins. Give it a few years in the cellar and drink it over the next couple of decades. 392 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is a huge wine. Blackberry jam, chocolate, licorice, spice, menthol, gravel and intense savory herbs are kicked up in an explosive, dense Cabernet. This concentrated, virile Cabernet possesses tremendous energy and pure power, all in a masculine style that needs years to come into its own. There is plenty of tannin, but it is well integrated. The 2019 is a bit unruly today, like a poorly behaved young child. Let’s see how it grows up.Vinous Media | 97+ VMThis has power but is reserved in style, with dark currant preserves, plum puree and black cherry reduction notes laced with singed alder and sweet tobacco. A subtle iron note chimes gently through the long finish, which fleshes out steadily as this airs. Best from 2023 through 2038. 392 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

More expressive and open-knit, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard sports a similar ruby/purple to go with an incredible array of black raspberry, cassis, flowery incense, orange blossom, smoked tobacco, and exotic spice. As are all To Kolans, it’s incredibly perfumed and complex aromatically, and it’s one of those wines that changes every time you come back to the glass. Full-bodied on the palate, it offers beautiful richness and depth, a light, graceful mouthfeel, silky tannins, and a heavenly finish. It’s another magical wine from this talented winemaker that readers will absolutely love.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDBlackcurrants, black cherries, ripe raspberries and tar. Some graphite, too. It’s full-bodied and very plush with crushed tannins and an airy mouth-feel. Just floats across the palate. So fine. It has a second finish at the end, where the tannins emerge at the front of the palate. Quite unique. Drinkable now, but better after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSA glowing representation of Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet with a classic nose of blackcurrant, graphite and new cedar oak. Full-bodied and richly layered with immensely concentrated black fruit flavours that are pure silk on the palate. Satiny, ultra-fine tannins make this almost too easy to drink, while decadent melted chocolate notes merge with baking spices to complete this scrumptious wine. As it opens, the wine begins to reveal a mineral elegance that is iron-like, along with pretty red florals and finishing with crème de cassis and herbs. A real collector wine. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2050Decanter | 98 DECThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is fabulous. Deep and vertical, the 2019 possesses tremendous richness and pure power. A seamless, layered wine, the To Kalon is seriously impressive today, but it also needs time to be at its most expressive. Crème de cassis, lavender, licorice and cloves build as the 2019 gradually shows off its pedigree and potential.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGHobbs’s first vintage of this wine was in 1999, so it has a relatively long track record. The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard features aromas of mint, cassis and plum on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and opulent yet densely packed. Where this wine really shines is the finish, which is long and softly dusty in feel, while adding complex notes of licorice, mocha and baking spices. 494 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPShows menthol, sweet bay leaf, violet and tobacco notes, which set the stage for a core of winey cassis and crushed plum fruit. Ample structure courses underneath, with a tilt to loamy in feel through the deep, broad finish. Reveals a late flash of iron, too. A serious version. Best from 2023 through 2040. 494 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

A bigger, richer, more structured wine, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard has brilliant black fruits, tobacco, iron, and subtle smoke-like nuances in a full-bodied, concentrated, layered package. This is pure Mountain Cabernet genius, and while it’s far from unapproachable today, it will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age. It’s up with the crème de la crème of the vintage and should be snatched up by readers.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDFrom vines planted only in 2015, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate is a stunning success. It’s wonderfully perfumed, with floral-herbal notes reminiscent of violets and sage accenting cassis and black raspberry-chocolate chip ice cream, yet without any trace of actual sweetness. Full-bodied and concentrated, it’s nevertheless fresh and vibrant, with a long finish framed by softly dusty tannins. Wow!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard shows tremendous dimension. Layers of fruit saturate the palate, rendering the potent Veeder tannins barely perceptible. Orange peel, spice, rose petal and dried flowers lend an exotic flair. A Cabernet of resonance and pedigree, the 2019 is substantial in every way.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

This is a winemaker’s master class in blending and understanding of a long-standing site. Dried herb, cedar and pencil shavings accent lifted red fruit and brilliant acidity on the palate, with a supple yet still youthfully grippy texture that is framed by structured, graceful tannins. Enjoy from 2029–2039.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WESo much earth and spice with walnut and wet earth. Like fog laying over the valley in the morning. Black fruit. Medium-to full-bodied with super-fine tannins that are long and persistent, with graceful progression and length on the palate. So long, with real definition. September 2022 release. From biodynamically grown grapes. Hard not to drink now, but will age wonderfully.James Suckling | 99 JSI was blown away by the 2019 Red Blend from Quintessa, which is up with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Based on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère, this full-bodied beauty has a perfectly balanced, seamless, yet expansive and classic 2019 style as well as gorgeous aromatics of cassis, flowers, chalky minerality, and integrated oak. It’s hard to resist already, but I have no doubt this will evolve for 20 years if stored properly.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDDark chocolate, violets and blackcurrants on the nose. Sticky, sweet, full, plush and ripe, fruit is dark - blackcurrant, black cherry and plum with lots of sweet liquorice and some earthy notes that give it a savoury touch. A bold and powerful style, you can feel the alcohol a bit and the wood still but there is good vibrancy and energy with a chiselled frame and generous freshness. Still extremely youthful with the structure fully on show, still settling and finding its refinement. 2% Carménère completes the blend. Ageing 22 months in French oak (60% new). Drinking Window: 2025 - 2040Decanter | 96 DECThe 2019 Proprietary Red Wine is more open and effusive than the 2018 version, with gentle floral nuances set against a backdrop of black cherries and cassis, joined by subtle notes of tobacco, cedar and vanilla. In the mouth, it’s medium to full-bodied, streamlined, silky and lush, nicely balanced and elegant, with a long, softly dusty finish tinged with licorice and caramel. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2019 Quintessa is one of the best wines I have tasted here in some time. Broad swaths of tannin wrap around a core intense dark plum, mocha, licorice and spice. The 2019 clearly needs a few years in bottle to come together. Quintessa is a large, sprawling property with many different exposures. My feeling is that it may not ultimately be suited to making a single large production flagship wine, but that perhaps a series of smaller production wines might showcase the site better.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGSports a very forward set of cassis and creamed plum notes before giving way to a firmer, more authoritative iron, warm earth and singed alder profile. Grippy and dense through the finish, but there’s cut and drive, with a savory edge adding good energy. This just needs some time for the mineral side to settle in with the fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. Best from 2024 through 2034. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Realm took over the management of Farella vineyard in 2018. Since then, winemaker Benoit Touquette explained their focus has been to open out the canopy, creating better exposure for the fruit, aiming to achieve riper tannins.A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard has a deep garnet-purple color and a powerful, expressive nose of baked plums, juicy blackberries and blackcurrant pastilles, plus touches of black olives, lavender and cinnamon stick, with a waft of fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate is seriously dense and muscular, featuring a rock-solid foundation of super ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and energy. A spectacular showing for Farella!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard is tremendous. Winemaker Benoit Touquette has captured all of the savory and mineral nuances that are such a signature of this Coombsville site balanced with ripe, radiant expression of fruit. Red plum, rose petal, cinnamon and blood orange are all laced together in a Cabernet of real distinction. This is the first vintage that incorporates a touch (8%) of Merlot, which helps soften some of the youthful angularity Farella Cabernets often showAntonio Galloni | 97 AGThe first time this cuvée includes Merlot, the 2019 Farella is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot and comes from a cooler site in the Coombsville appellation. Textbook Cabernet, with lots of dark fruits, lead pencil, violets, and cedary tobacco notes, it has firmer tannins, full-bodied richness, and a concentrated, age-worthy style. In short, it’s a classic, brilliant Coombsville Cabernet to hide for 4-6 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDLots of lead-pencil and blackcurrant aromas. Apricots, too. Medium-bodied with cashmere tannins that are so fine and fresh. Layered. 92% cabernet sauvignon and 8% merlot. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JS

The 2019 Proprietary Red is deep garnet-purple in color. After a swirl or two, notes of blueberry preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, and warm cassis burst from the glass, leading to suggestions of Chinese five spice, dusty soil, sandalwood, and unsmoked cigars. The decadently concentrated, full-bodied palate delivers layer upon layer of black fruits and earthy nuances, framed by super-firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with loads of mineral sparks. This is a beauty!The Wine Independent | 99 TWIA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, the 2019 Proprietary Red is a monster of a wine that’s unquestionably up with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Blackberries, truffle, earth, chocolate, iron, and even a hint of black olive defines the nose, and it’s full-bodied, deep, rich, and incredibly concentrated on the palate. It has lots of background oak but more than enough fruit, with a dense, layered mid-palate and velvety tannins. It’s one of those wines that brings an incredible amount of richness and depth yet somehow stays light on its feet and balanced. It needs to be forgotten for at least 2-4 years and should keep for over two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 Sloan is a silky, sensual beauty. Creamy and ample in the glass, with superb balance, the 2019 offers up an exotic mélange of dark fruit, spice, mocha, espresso and licorice. Cabernet inflections are quite present today. Then again, this plateau above Rutherford is one of the most special places in all of Napa Valley. The 2019 shuts down pretty quickly in the glass, which is probably a good sign for its prospects in the cellar. It’s another gorgeous wine from the team at Sloan headed by Winemaker Martha McClellan.Vinous Media | 97 VMSloan’s 2019 Proprietary Red is deep and rich, with scents of dark loam, woodsy notes, hints of cedar and vanilla, plus dark, plummy fruit. It’s full-bodied, concentrated, dense and decadently velvety but with a slight dried-fruit character. It’s awesome in that idiom but lacks the vibrancy and freshness of the valley’s absolute best wines. To this taster, it comes across as impressively complex, concentrated and long but also a bit heavy and warm on the finish. What foods would one pair this with?Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

The second vintage to be bottled under this vineyard designation—the vineyard was planted in 2016—Aubert’s 2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue is a lush, full-bodied effort loaded with ripe-tasting stone fruit, set against a backdrop of white nectarine and fresh lime juice. Plump and creamy in the mouth, expansive and generous, it finishes with a savory hint of mocha. Sandwiched between Lauren and CIX, it’s a parcel that should yield even greater wines as the vines age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSucculent and lush, with buttery nuances to the apple pastry, toasted hazelnut and mouthwatering Honeycrisp apple, tangerine and Meyer lemon flavors at the core. This wine’s flavors and complexity gain momentum, ultimately achieving wonderful harmony on the long finish. Drink now through 2028. 1,644 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA tight and linear chardonnay with dried apples, lemons, honey, sea salt, and white pepper. Medium body. Solid and beautiful. Candied lemons. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue is laced with the essence of dried pear, spice, lemon confit, apple tart, spice and a hint of new French oak. There’s lovely depth and density here, even if the wine narrows a bit through the mid-palate and into the finish.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

Aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries, hints of graphite, wet earth, and lavender. Sandalwood. Full-bodied with an impressive and refined structure that runs deep and vertical in the wine. Chewy. Hints of chocolate and hazelnut at the end. Needs five or six years to soften.James Suckling | 98 JSAn excellent wine, even if not a great Dominus, the 2020 Dominus delivers waves of dark fruit—think predominantly cassis. A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, it’s full-bodied and richly textured, perhaps a bit warm and open-knit because of the summer’s heat, but with a long, velvety finish attractively tinged with mocha and dark chocolate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis throws off dense kirsch and linzer torte aromas and flavors, along with a mix of smoldering tobacco, leather, warm paving stone and licorice root hints that provide a brooding edge on the back end. Surprisingly backward for the vintage and impressively done. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040. 1,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS