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The 2016 Chardonnay Reserve is the stuff dreams are made of. Towering and statuesque in its pedigree, the Reserve shows why the Santa Cruz Mountains is such a special place. The 2016 is deep, powerful and intense, and yet it remains remarkably finessed as well. Tangerine oil, mint, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes all develop with a few hours of aeration. The Reserve is a blend of 11 barrels (all neutral oak) that spends its second winter on its lees in tank, an approach that is common in Burgundy, but that is not often seen in California. All I can say is: Wow!Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2016 Chardonnay Reserve improved over several days and is just beginning to hint at more to come with bottle age. The nose offers warm citrus and floral perfume with a deep core of orchard fruits. The palate is silky and expansive, with a streak of mineral-like undertones, a flush of juicy acidity and long, layered finish. It deserves more time in bottle. 231 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP

With more minerality as well as a bloody, iron character, the perfect 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Lotus Vineyard is 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot that saw 27 months in new French oak barrels. Incredible notes of blackcurrants, graphite, tobacco, Asian spices, and dried herbs all emerge from this full-bodied, ultra-pure, layered, and just incredible wine that tops out my scale. Coming from a vineyard at the base of Howell Mountain and aged in 90% new French oak, it has the class to offer pleasure even today yet is going to benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age and keep for 3-4 decades. It’s one of the greatest young Cabernets I’ve ever tasted.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Lotus Vineyard is the most powerful and backward of the three single-vineyard Cabernets at Dana. Brisk and finely cut, the 2016 captures a stunning interplay of freshness, structure and vibrancy. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2016 is going to need a number of years to be at its very best. Even in the early going, though, it is pretty memorable. Gravel, sage, menthol, crushed flowers and white pepper add aromatic nuance to a brooding, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon built for the cellar.Vinous Media | 100 VMThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Lotus Vineyard is made up of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon (clones 4 and 15) and 3% Petit Verdot. It fermented 46% in oak tanks, 38% in concrete and 16% in barrels. It was on the skins for 28 to 43 days and aged in French oak barrels for 27 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little shy to begin, before opening up with provocative lilacs, cinnamon stick, cloves and underbrush over a core of blackcurrant cordial, preserved plums and Black Forest cake plus a waft of cast-iron pan. Full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in grace, with wonderfully harmonious perfumed black fruit framed by very fine-grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing very long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThis is a very solid red showing an impressive, vertical line of tannins and acidity with blackberry and blueberry character. Full body, a cylinder of fruit and chewy yet polished tannins. Extremely persistent. Needs three or four years to come together. Try after 2022.James Suckling | 98 JS

This is the debut vintage of this wine from the esteemed Bordeaux owner, Alfred Tesseron, who bought the property in the Napa mountains in 2016. Aromas of plums, wet earth, fresh herbs and tobacco. Some green olives. Turns to blueberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet reserved and layered with chocolate, walnuts and plums. Firm yet polished tannins give a framed sense to the wine. Savory. Racy and beautifully structured, it’s extremely drinkable already. Real wine.James Suckling | 98 JSA blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Pym-Rae displays a deep garnet-purple color and reveals wonderfully fragrant notes of candied violets, wilted roses, damp soil and black tea over a core of red and black currants, black cherries and warm blackberries plus touches of cigar box and camphor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is evocatively singular, offering that rock-solid structure of mountain fruit, yet these are wonderfully ripe, silt-like tannins that beautifully support the elegant red and black fruit layers, finishing very long and very perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

Fantastic aromas that are complex and complete with blackcurrants, blueberries and herbs, such as basil and bay leaf. But always subtle. Full-bodied yet linear and very refined with a very persistent finish. It shows drive and brightness. So refined at the end. Needs at least three to five years to come together.James Suckling | 99 JSLove the juiciness of this, right off the bat, rich deep black cherry rippling with menthol and eucalyptus notes, and these beautiful floral aromatics that Opus gets in the best years. A very classic style, touches of baked vanilla, rosemary and olive. Harvest 9th September to 12th October (starting off slowly then speeding up as the heat rose). 1% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot completes the blend, 17 days skin contact. Drinking Window 2027 - 2044.Decanter | 98 DECDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Opus One offers up bold, expressive black and blue fruits: warm black plums, black cherries, blackcurrants and wild blueberries with a beautiful undercurrent of lilacs, roses, fertile loam, underbrush and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is a tightly coiled spring ready to explode, with fantastic tension and wonderfully ripe, very fine-grained tannins, finishing very long with a mineral lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2016 Opus One is brilliant and shows yet again that 2016 was a magical vintage for Napa Valley. Based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with 8% each of Petit Verdot and Merlot, with 5% Cabernet Franc and a splash of Malbec, its deep purple hue is followed by a beautiful bouquet of black cherries, crème de cassis, and blueberry fruit intermixed with notions of cedary spice, toasty oak, graphite, and flowers. With an almost Bordeaux-like class and structure, this full-bodied beauty has no hard edges, plenty of ripe tannins, and is extraordinarily pure, elegant, and long. It can be drunk today (give it a healthy decant) or cellared for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDThe 2016 Opus One is a wine of real breadth and power. Black cherry, plum, leather and spice flesh out effortlessly, but what stands out most is the wine's textural intensity and sheer power. Readers will have to wait a number of years until the 2016 is at its best, but it is clearly another in a line of gorgeous recent Opus Ones from Michael Silacci and his team.Antonio Galloni | 96+ AGA focused, restrained style, with a steady beam of fresh red and black currant preserve flavors, laced with bay leaf, cedar and tobacco notes. An iron edge pierces the finish, while the fruit keeps pace. A bit more classically backward than its Oakville peers, so tuck this away in the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Best from 2020 through 2038. 21,900 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 94 WS

This is a superb sweet wine from America with candied apples, pears, pineapple, and hints of spices. Some flint. Dense and spicy. Really sweet and flavorful. Dried apricot at the end. The real deal. Drink now.James Suckling | 97 JS

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+ JDThe 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 AGA 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 JSDeep 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

This parcel has some soil diversity and is planted exclusively to Dijon clones. The nose has leafy aromas with blue fruit and darker cherries, as well as earthy, deep-set spices. The palate has bold tannins, fuller and rounder style and the finish is deep and plush. Quite supple and quite dense. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JS

A very complex wine on the nose with flowers, earth and spiced blue and red cherries on offer, as well as sappy notes. The palate has plenty of up-front fruit and such intense, deeply layered tannins that carry red-cherry flavors so long and so deep. Long and impressive. Dry-farmed. This will cellar for up to ten years.James Suckling | 95 JS

This has such deep, red-fruit aromas and a beautifully sappy edge, too. The vibrant fruit here is so striking and so deep with a glossy feel and very fine, silky tannins. This is so full of pleasure. So supple and silky. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSVibrant, offering concentrated cherry flavors that feature rich pastry notes, backed by firm tannins and powerful acidity. Mineral and spice details show on the restrained, pure-tasting finish. Drink now through 2025. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2017 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard aged 19 months in 47% new French oak. It has a medium ruby color and nose of pomegranate, spiced cranberry sauce, crushed blackberries and lavender with black tea, earth and dried leaves plus graphite nuances. The palate is medium to full-bodied, intense, earthy and firmly framed, with just enough freshness on the long finish. 2,000 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is sure to make Dunn fans happy. Powerful and ample, it marries the natural intensity of the year with the savoriness that makes Howell Mountain Cabernets so distinctive. Dark blue/purplish fruit, graphite, spice, leather, dried herbs and lavender imbue the 2017 with striking intensity and character. I can’t wait to see how it ages. The 2017 is a positively stunning edition of the Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGAlready more open than the 2018 Howell Mountain, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain boasts slightly piney, resinous herb notes—thyme and rosemary—along with classic cassis and blueberry fruit. Yes, there’s a cedary coat of oak, but the fruit comes through loud and clear, adding a rich, velvety textural component and mouthwatering berry flavors on the lingering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPFresh ripe cassis, blackberry and plum fruit flavors course through, carried by tar and apple wood notes that are well-embedded, giving this a muscular but sleek feel. Features a great tug of dark earth and licorice snap on the palate-staining finish.Wine Spectator | 95 WSFrom a challenging vintage due to heat spikes and devastating wildfires, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain nevertheless is a terrific wine. Giving up lots of darker currant and cassis fruits as well as scorched earth, graphite, and obvious minerality, it’s medium to full-bodied, has good overall balance, chalky, slightly drying tannins, and a good finish. It should evolve for another decade at least, but the tannins will need to be watched.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Wonderful aromas of blueberries, blackberries, mushrooms, pine and blackcurrants. Some violets, too. Full-bodied, yet so refined and polished with wonderful fruit and a linear tannin structure that integrates beautifully into the wine. It’s so balanced and beautiful. Hard not to drink now, but better after 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2017 Proprietary Red brings everything up a solid notch. Dense purple/plum-hued, with gorgeous, Graves-like nose of blackcurrants, chocolate, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and gravelly earth, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a polished, elegant texture, building yet sweet tannins, and a great finish. Very much in the style of the 2017 vintage with its nicely concentrated, elegant, reserved yet endearing style, it’s going to drink nicely for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Proprietary Red sails out of the glass with open-knit, compelling scents of Black Forest cake, blackberry pie and black currant jelly with suggestions of Indian spices, garrigue, rose oil and sandalwood. The full-bodied palate is richly fruited and jam-packed with opulent black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers, framed by a wicked backbone of freshness and plush, well-managed tannins, finishing with impressive length and perfume.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThe 2017 Sloan is very nicely done. As is typical of the year, Sloan is on the lighter side in 2017, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. Black cherry, spice, licorice, lavender and chocolate open with a bit of time in the glass. Soft, succulent and quite gracious, the 2017 will drink well with minimal cellaring. I suspect it will always retain some of the nervous tension that is to be expected for a wine made from fruit picked a bit earlier than would have been optimal and with fewer barrel ferments, both choices imposed by the fires that year.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

Moving to the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, this cuvée is too often underrated and I think it’s one of the most classy, balanced, high quality Cabernets coming from the valley. Deep purple-colored with beautiful blackcurrant fruits interwoven with lots of tobacco, crushed rocks, leafy herbs, and graphite, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, present tannins, and stunning balance. It’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is blended of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, aged in barrel for 21 months in two-thirds new oak. It was bottled one week prior to this tasting. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with bold, beautiful black fruits—blackcurrant pastilles, plum preserves and boysenberries—with hints of baker’s chocolate, yeast extract, tapenade and Indian spices plus a waft of forest floor. Full-bodied, rich and spicy in the mouth, it sports soft, plush, well-played tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon captures all of the radiance of the year in its super-ripe fruit and racy contours. Medium in body yet extravagantly ripe, the 2017 is going to need at least a few years in bottle to shed some baby fat. A rush of dark cherry, plum, spice, lavender, licorice and menthol gives the 2017 much of its immediacy and overall appeal.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGVery pretty blueberries and chocolate with hints of spice. Medium body, creamy tannins and a savory finish. Shows poise and balance. Delicious now. Why wait on this? Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSFleshy and forward at first, with delicious plum and blackberry compote flavors laced with dark licorice and roasted cedar notes. Fleshes out with some air in the glass, showing nice length, a well-buried iron note and latent grip for cellaring. Best from 2021 through 2032. 860 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2017 Maya is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Cabernet Franc and was bottled one week before I tasted it. Very deep purple-black in color, it opens with profound earthy notions of truffles, damp soil, crushed rocks and tar over a core of Black Forest cake, black raspberries, blueberry compote and aged meat plus touches of wilted roses and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is solidly structured with firm, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness lifting the multilayered blue and black fruits with a long, perfumed finish. Stunning.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe tiny production 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Maya is another thrilling wine. The normal blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc that was brought up in two-thirds new French oak, it offers a full-bodied, concentrated, yet sensationally elegant style as well as fab notes of crème de cassis, chocolate, graphite, and scorched earth. It’s a primordial example of this cuvée that has ripe tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish. Do your best to give bottles 4-6 years of bottle age.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDThe 2017 Maya is not only gorgeous, it also appears to have handled the rigors of the growing season more successfully than the others. Ripe red cherry and plum fruit, blood orange, pomegranate, mint and spice all build as this racy, sumptuous wine shows off its considerable allure. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are just magic here.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGTiny production from the eastern hills of Oakville. If you love Bordeaux wines it’s such a treat to taste a blend of just Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, something that you rarely see in the Médoc. It works extremely well, with an aromatic kick of raspberry leaf and violet flowers but the key to the body is coffee, bilberry, rosemary, mulberry and cloves. Great acidity set against power and concentration. The savoury edge that makes Cabernet such a delicious food-friendly wine is here, and is extremely elegant and refined but with a punch and undertow. Good stuff, with long ageing potential. 75% new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2042.Decanter | 95 DECThe plum and chocolate, as well as hazelnut and dried-flower character is prevalent here. It’s full-bodied, yet very refined with lovely, polished tannins and a long, crisp finish. Balanced and focused. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSSolidly built, with ganache, plum, fig paste, smoldering tobacco and loam notes rolled together, ending with a muscular feel on the dark finish. Reveals a strong tug of terroir. Will need some time to stretch out fully. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2035. 800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A fist of late summer cherries, raspberry and bilberry fruits set out their stall, all with the juicy character that confirms, even in a hot vintage like 2017, Opus can deliver balance and sculpted elegance. Beautiful grip, creamy texture with a strikingly powerful tannic frame. As the wine stays in the glass the floral aromatics begin to bloom up. A brilliant Opus. 20 days maceration - around half what it would have been a decade ago. 54% native yeast, as part of their native yeast project. 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec complete the blend. Harvest spread out over September 5 to October 8, just before the fires, by which time they had less than 10% of the fruit still out on the vines. 3.7pH. Drinking Window 2023 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECOpus One had picked 91% of their fruit before the fires started in 2017, and only two lots were eliminated from consideration. The 2017 Opus One, bottled in July 2019, is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4.5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly grows on the nose, revealing compelling notes of baked black cherries, mulberries, black raspberries, warm cassis and blackberry pie with nuances of spice cake, yeast extract, tapenade, licorice and dusty soil with a waft of wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has a lively skip in its step, featuring bags of juicy raspberry and cassis-laced fruit and a refreshing line, supported by ripe, plush tannins, finishing long and graceful.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA remarkable wine for the year, the 2017 Opus One is a dense, full-throttle beauty. Plush fruit and soft, silky contours give the 2017 its racy personality. Exotic, beautifully perfumed and impeccable in its balance, Opus One is one of the most complete wines of the vintage. In 2017, Opus One has a distinctly red-toned fruit profile that distinguishes it from the surrounding vintages.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGLots of currant and floral notes on the nose. Hints of mint and spice. Medium-to full-bodied, round and savory with creamy, juicy tannins. Hints of citrus underneath. Bright, fresh and delicious. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThis features currant and plum fruit, with tobacco, loam and singed savory notes, maintaining range and driving through the finish. The structure is fine-grained, delivering a lingering hint of acidity. A more subtle expression of Cabernet. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Best from 2022 through 2036. 27,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Moving to the two reds, the appellation 2017 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast reveals a ruby/purple, translucent color as well as a stunning perfume of black raspberries, cassis, crushed violets, spice box, sweet earth. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, has beautiful depth, a kiss of background oak, and a great finish. Mostly destemmed and aged 17 months in 40% new French oak, it's a brilliant wine to drink over the coming decade or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDLots of the blue fruits and dried flowers on the nose. Oyster shell too. Medium to full body, linear and vibrant. Energetic. Clean and intense finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSSourced from a slew of outstanding vineyards, including Kanzler and Gap's Crown, this coastal wine is smooth, seductive and earthy, with focused acidity and tension. Orange, blackberry and strawberry are seasoned in cardamom and dried herb.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2017 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast was aged for 10-17 months in 40% new French oak, 15% wood tanks and 6% concrete tanks. Medium ruby, it's broodily scented with black cherries, underbrush, pencil shavings and dried tobacco leaves with notions of spice and red berry sparks. Light to medium-bodied and earthy in the mouth, it has a pleasantly chalky frame and great juicy freshness, finishing long. 7,550 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

This plot is on the flats and planted to the 667 clone, on predominantly goldridge soils. This gets winemaker influence to tease out complexity. The nose has brambly, sappy herbs and whole-bunch influence. The palate has succulent, fleshy and rich flavors with a very juicy, very rich and round finish. The final bottling of this plot. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JS

This has an earthy edge with red and blue fruit and leafy nuances on offer. There’s a brambly, sous-bois edge, too. The palate has impressive depth and weight with a succulent, smoothly fleshy feel. The tannins are very polished and supple with a glossy texture and a juicy, deep finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSClean and elegant aromas of black-raspberry sorbet are enhanced by light dashes of cardamom on the intense and dark nose of this single-vineyard expression. The palate is immensely complex and pleasurable, offering cranberry, orange-rind, jasmine and carnation flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEAged in 46% new French oak for 19 months, the medium ruby colored 2017 Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard opens with a touch of alcoholic heat and balsamic, very slowly giving up fresh strawberries, raspberries, crushed stone and pomegranate with notions of tree bark and spices. Medium-bodied, silky and with youthfully energetic red fruits, it has a soft frame and lip-smacking acidity, finishing long and still coiled. Give this another 2-3 years in bottle at least. 350 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPWith scents of mulled berries, plums and graphite, this wine has a confident richness, with grape-skin tannins contributing to the formidable structure.Wine and Spirits | 92 W&SLively raspberry tart and dark cherry flavors mesh easily in this fruity, savory style. Rooibos tea, dark chocolate and Asian spice notes emerge on the complex finish, turning creamy and rich. Drink now through 2024. 371 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Pym-Rae leaps from the glass with bold notions of black cherries, mulberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate with an opulent undercurrent of Indian spices, potpourri, sandalwood and cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with rich, seductive black fruit preserves and an explosion of exotic spice sparks, framed by firm yet beautifully plush tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long and achingly fragrant. Possessing loads more weight and mid-palate density than a lot of 2017s, this second showing is an absolute knock-out. Due to strict selection, only around 1500 cases were made this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPRather rich, flamboyant and decadent with bright raspberries, mushrooms and bark. Full-bodied, yet very tight and refined, with firmness and length. Racy and fine for a 2017. No cabernet franc in the blend, just cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2017 Pym-Rae comes from a more challenging vintage that featured a dramatic heat spike on Labor Day weekend and fires during harvest. Nevertheless, the fruit was harvested all pre-fire, and it’s a beautiful wine revealing ample black fruits, scorched earth, tobacco, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows the vintage’s more focused, elegant style and has beautiful concentration as well as a great finish. While I suspect it has fewer tannins than the 2016, they’re more present and focused, which is very much in the style of the vintage. This elegant, concentrated, classic Bordeaux-like Mountain Cabernet will evolve nicely for another 25+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD

Lush aromas of poached strawberry and cherry liqueur make for a hedonistic opening to the nose of this single-vineyard expression. The palate lands beautifully, offering ripe strawberry, pomegranate and candied cherry flavors, yet it sports a relatively light, acid-washed frame that allows accents of mace, star anise and cardamom to shine through. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEMore vibrant, floral notes emerge from the 2017 Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard, which has complex notes of candied cherries, orange blossom, raspberries, and exotic spices all emerging from the glass. Playing in the medium-bodied end of the spectrum, it offers integrated acidity as well as a fresh, focused texture and shows the more racy, lively style of the vineyard beautifully.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDA cooler site that gets early fog that lingers long and protects the vines. The nose is very perfumed and fragrant with a fresh core of red cherries. The palate delivers detailed and defined tannins that hold focused and fresh. Long, smooth finish. Ripe tannins and higher alcohol (14.7%) add richer texture. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSIntense flavors of dried blackberry and dark currant are backed by firm acidity and tannins in this powerfully ripe version. Forest floor notes join hints of black licorice and baker’s chocolate on the finish. Drink now through 2024. 488 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSAged 19 months in 41% new French oak, the 2017 Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard is medium ruby in the glass and youthfully shy on the nose, slowly offering rose petal, crushed stone, fresh cranberries and Bing cherries. It’s light to medium-bodied, perfumed and elegant with a gentle, grainy frame and fantastic juicy freshness to lift the finish. This feels youthfully closed or like I got it on an off day, so my score may look conservative later. 475 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Deeper ruby, the 2017 Pinot Noir De Villiers Vineyard reveals more black raspberry, sassafras, tea, and spicy notes. It’s medium-bodied, with a juicy, elegant style and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDA juicy and powerful red with blackberries, dried strawberries, walnuts and spice undertone. Full-bodied and chewy with layers of tannins and a flavorful finish. Hints of bark and spice. Needs time to soften, but impressive. Drink after 2025, but already beautiful.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2017 Pinot Noir de Villiers Vineyard is fabulous. Rich, exotic and bold, the 2017 offers striking immediacy. Inky dark fruit, spice, lavender and menthol open up first, followed by a range of more savory, mineral notes that are typical of Mt. Harlan. The interplay of fruit intensity and structure makes for a compelling Pinot.Vinous Media | 94 VMPale to medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Pinot Noir deVilliers Vineyard, aged 17 months in 30% new French oak, gives up broody cherry coulis, underbrush, crushed stone, dried redcurrants and cranberries aromas with notions of blood orange, tea leaves and cured meats. Medium-bodied, intense and layered, it’s well framed and juicy with a long and pleasantly restrained finish. 1,382 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPDe Villiers is an east-facing site more or less in the middle of Calera’s Mt. Harlan vineyards, planted in 1997. In 2017, it produced a wine considerably more savory than most of its counterparts, with a wild berry scent and tealike accents. The fruit flavors are light and attenuated, more about perfume than flavor, marked by the tangy, mildly mineral grip of the mountain’s chalk soils.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 93 W&SWell-sculpted, with alluring sandalwood and allspice notes to the dried cherry and plum tart flavors. Savory richness emerges midpalate, leading to an extended finish that offers brioche and cream details. Drink now through 2024. 1,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSRoasted boysenberry, crushed stone, baked earth and a slight plum-skin tang show on the nose of this bottling from vines planted in 1996. There’s a warm-weather sense on the palate, where cooked berry flavors dominate, yet the acid and rocky tension keep it complex and intenseWine Enthusiast | 92 WE

This is really firm and long with a solid core of tannins, earthy fruit and firmness. Medium to full body. Serious structure and length. Juicy and savory. The tension and form to this is beautiful. Classic, traditional Napa. 45% cabernet sauvignon, 26% merlot, 21% cabernet franc, 5% malbec and 3% petit verdot. Drinkable now, but better in 2024.James Suckling | 96 JS

I loved the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder from barrel and it showed beautifully from bottle. Deep purple-hued, with powerful notes of blackcurrants, leafy herbs, tapenade, chocolate, and bay leaf, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a lush, sumptuous texture, awesome tannins, and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. This beautiful Mount Veeder Cabernet will evolve for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon emerges from a new site on Mt. Veeder that is just beginning to enter production. Inky and explosive, the 2018 possesses off the charts richness. The 2018 captures all the intensity of Veeder, but without the tannins and harsher elements that can penalize Cabernets here. The 2018 is a total turn-on. It is a remarkable effort for a vineyard that was only planted in 2014 and 2015. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGOffers a mix of melted licorice, sassafras and sweet bay leaf notes, with a core of steeped plum and blackberry fruit. This has depth and muscle, but also the cut for balance, with a zesty underlay driving the finish. Drink now through 2032. 190 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Aromas of blackberries, currants, violets and black licorice follow through to a full body with chewy, polished tannins that have a tile and dust character and texture. It’s very long and persistent with beauty and intensity. It shows reserve and finesse. This needs at least five years to come around. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSDeep garnet-purple in color, the nose of the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard starts off with soft-spoken scents of ripe red and black plums, cassis, black raspberries and mulberries, followed by gentle wafts of cedar and pencil lead and finally bursting out with Sichuan pepper and hoisin notes. The medium to full-bodied palate is opulent, plushly textured and brimming with spicy red and blackberry layers, going beautifully perfumed on the long finish. Paul Hobbs mentioned that he backed off on the new oak this year, aging the wine in 85% new French oak (as opposed to 100%). I love this more elegant, nuanced expression a lot. 688 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is fabulous. Inky, deep and explosive, the 2018 possesses tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. Huge swaths of tannin wrap around a core of blue/purplish fruit. All the elements are kicked up: fruit, acid and tannin. Readers need to be patient, as the 2018 will require at least a handful of years in bottle to be at its best. The heady, explosive finish points to a very bright future.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGVivid, detailed flavors of cassis, kirsch and fig paste pump along, laced with alder, cocoa and tobacco notes. The fruit melds nicely with a serious tug of warm loam through the finish, giving this a smoldering edge at the very end. Shows nice character. Best from 2022 through 2038. 688 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS