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Amazing density; the aromas billow up from the glass and weave together sinuously, taking you on a magic carpet ride before the wine even hits your mouth. This wine has the power of a monster California Cab while retaining the subtlety of a first-growth Bordeaux. It is just a massive blast of dark fruit, incredible viscosity, silky textures and soft herbs, pepper and spice. The oak—all new, all French—is unobtrusive and perfectly integrated.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon is mature and near-term in the glass with earthy and funky tones that resonate with the remnants of a once-sweet fruit frame that has shifted almost fully into a stewed fruit core. Full-bodied, I recommend drinking this in the next few years, as it currently offers elements of dried blackberries and tar across the mid-palate. For a generous wine, it’s starting to wind down and only has a few years left. I recommend enjoying this bottle with an aged ribeye steak.Robert Parker | 96 RP(bottled in August of 2004; includes bits of merlot and cab franc) Bright ruby-red. Superripe aromas of cassis, black raspberry, minerals and chocolate. Rich, lush and expressive; superconcentrated but not at all heavy. In fact, this broad, suave wine offers a compellingly silky texture. Finishes impressively rich, dry and long, with firm but fine-grained tannins. Wait until 2010 before drinking this superb cabernet, by which time it may merit an even higher rating.Vinous Media | 93+ VMFirm and taut, with dusky spice and freshly ground pepper nuances to the dark berry, currant and cherry aromas and flavors, lingering impressively on the chewy finish. Doesn’t have the pure fruit of previous vintages, but it should soften and broaden, developing more depth with cellaring. Best from 2008 through 2015. 3,400 cases made. —Wine Spectator | 93 WS

I was also able to taste a barrel sample of the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, and it’s clearly one of the deeper hued 2022s I was able to taste for this report. Darker currants, hints of cassis, scorched earth, and tobacco all emerge on the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has a classic, elegant Spottswood texture, building tannins, and outstanding length.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, tasted as a barrel sample, is deep purple-black in color. Intense scents of plum preserves, blueberry pie, and creme de cassis give way to wafts of dried roses, star anise, and powdered cinnamon. The medium-bodied palate is velvety and lively, with bags of juicy black and blue fruit preserves leading to a long and spicy finish on this impressive wine.The Wine Independent | 94-96+ TWIDark, layered and imposing, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is a promising wine for the year. Dark red and purplish fruit, spice and rose petals open gradually, wrapped together by firm, large-grained tannins for this site. This core blend represents about 40% of the eventual final blend.Vinous Media | 92-95 VM

As good as it gets for Washington Cabernet Sauvignon. Massive blue fruit and milk chocolate aromas leap from the glass to join more savoury tomato and sage notes, with brighter blueberry scents evolving after an hour of air. The lengthy palate is dense and chewy with light tannins, the mouthfeel becoming more silky and elegantly textured with time. Rich yet balanced flavours of blue fruits and wild blackberry cobbler are joined by mocha tones and exotic sandalwood spice. Perfectly evolved now, and one to enjoy within the next five years. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025Decanter | 100 DECThe 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon contains 3% Merlot and 1% Cabernet with the wine sourced from the Champoux, Klipsun, and Taptiel Vineyards. It was aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak. There are 3400 cases produced, most of it sold through the winery’s mailing list and the rest in a handful of markets. Opaque purple-colored, it delivers a remarkable array of aromas including pain grille, violets, pencil lead, truffle, Asian spices, black currant, and blueberry. This leads to a lustrous, layered, velvet-textured wine with gobs of spicy, ripe black fruits and beautifully integrated oak, tannin, and acidity. The long, pure finish goes on for well over a minute. It will evolve for a decade and drink well through 2045. I was able to retaste the 2001, 2002, and 2003 vintages and can only say that Monsieur Rovani’s notes and scores are right on the bulls-eye.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RP(includes 3% merlot and 1% cabernet franc) Good deep red-ruby. Knockout nose offers deep notes of plum, currant, truffle, chocolate and smoky oak lifted by violet and lavender. The palate projects a nearly confectionery sweetness and huge dimension but with lovely energy giving it a rather suave texture. This has the chocolatey character of all the Quilceda 2004s. The sweet oak element helps to give the wine shape. Finishes with plenty of acid grip and ripe tannins that reach the incisors. This easily carries its 15% alcohol.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is a spectacular effort. Cascading flavors of black cherry, plum and cassis are drenched in caramel, mocha and buttery barrel flavors. Although the wine lists at a hefty 14.9% alcohol, it does not sacrifice elegance, nor does it substitute power for polish. The rush of blueberry, blackberry, black cherry and currant fruit, the layers of smoke and graphite, and the immense barrel flavors just keep on rolling through the palate. It will probably age quite well, but why wait?Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEVelvety and generous. A supple, insinuating style, with coffee and bittersweet chocolate accents around a beautifully contained core of ripe currant, plum and cherry fruit. Has great presence, balance and harmony. The finish expands impressively against a veil of firm tannins and well-integrated oak flavors. Best from 2010 through 2020. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 3,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Not surprisingly, the 2007 St. Eden flirts with perfection. Another Pauillac look-alike, it offers up glorious aromas of cedarwood, crème de cassis, spice box, high class unsmoked cigar tobacco, roasted herbs and a hint of mocha. The complex aromas brilliantly conceal the long aging in new French oak. This compelling, singular, full-bodied, multilayered, sensational Cabernet Sauvignon can be drunk early (because of the flamboyance and unctuosity of the vintage), but promises to provide thrilling consumption in 30+ years.Robert Parker | 99 RPRacy and explosive on the palate, with soft curves and exceptional balance, the 2007 St. Eden dazzles from the very first taste. Still very young and quite dense, the 2007 has more than enough richness to drink well for many years to come. The 2007 captures the opulence and sensuality that is so typical of the wines of Eastern Oakville. Simply put, the 2007 St. Eden is a total knockout.Vinous Media | 98 VMNice dark fruits, fresh mushrooms, and flowers on the nose. Reminiscent of an Amarone or two I’ve had. Full bodied, with loads of fruit on top of a thick and deep palate. This is very balanced and pretty. Pull the cork after 2015. Some might find it a little over the top, but it’s just in balance. 15+23+24+34. Find the wineJames Suckling | 96 JSRipe, juicy, vivid blackberry, black cherry, currant, sage and dusty, cedary oak form a tight core of flavors. Full-bodied, intense and expansive, gaining depth, focus, length and complexity on the lingering finish. To be released spring 2011. Best from 2013 through 2024. 406 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2008 Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon contains 1% Merlot. It proffers a brooding aromatic array of toasty oak, Asian spices, incense, a hint of sage, violets, and assorted black fruits. More structured than the preceding wines, “No doubting it’s Red Mountain” say the Golitzins, it has plenty of ripe tannin more than balanced by loads of succulent fruit, exceptional density, richness and power. Give it 5-6 years and drink it from 2016 to 2033.At Quilceda Creek it’s the same old story, great wines made by unpretentious people. The Golitzins decline to raise prices because they feel loyalty to the people who supported them from the beginning and who might not be able to afford connoisseur/collector pricing. As for the latest wines, they regard 2008 as ”a regular vintage with no issues; you could pick at your leisure”. They are considerably more excited by the 2009 vintage which they describe as “wines with tons of aroma ... really good” which, given their understated manner, I interpret to mean really terrific. For this tasting, the 2009s were all tasted from barrel samples.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP(99% cabernet sauvignon with 1% merlot; all of the Quilceda Creek reds are aged in 100% new French oak): Complex, expressive aromas and flavors of redcurrant, minerals, menthol, smoke and tobacco. Fat, sweet and concentrated, with an almost liqueur-like ripeness to its highly concentrated, palate-saturating flavors. This savory, chewy wine finishes with huge tannins that reach the incisors and lingering notes of blueberry and minerals.Vinous Media | 95 VMQuilceda Creek’s single vineyard Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon has the heft and structure for decades of aging; to drink it anytime soon is folly. Massively oaky, spicy and loaded with chunky ripe fruit, it’s full-flavored and big-boned; a young, raw Cab with unlimited potential.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

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

Deep, meaty, and incredibly savory, the 2009 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog is dark ruby/purple and offers up a knockout, textbook northern Rhône bouquet of meaty black cherry fruit, pan drippings, bacon fat, peat moss, ground pepper, and searing minerality. Every bit as good on the palate, this full-bodied, structured Syrah is gorgeously concentrated and rich, while at the same time, staying very light on the palate, with brilliant focus, precision, and length. It’s the most firm and structured of the ‘09s, without much baby fat, and needs lots of air to shows at its best. It will ideally be given 3-5 years of bottle age, and should have two decades of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDLike the 2009 Cailloux, the 2009 Syrah Bionic Frog was closed aromatically, yet offered incredible depth, richness and purity on the palate. Reluctantly giving up lots of dark fruits, chocolate, mineral and roasted herbs, as well as more exotic notes of blood orange and mint, this inky colored, full-bodied, beautifully concentrated Syrah should be forgotten for 3-4 years, yet will have 20 years or more of overall longevity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe Frog is a bit reductive, a bit shy in 2009 and needs extra decanting. With proper breathing time, it shows inviting notes of violets and strawberries, and it gains concentration through the midpalate, with additions of cherry and an almost liquid minerality. An almost delicate version of this wine.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEFocused, with nice density to the juicy blueberry and black plum flavors, hinting at black pepper, Lapsang souchong tea and tar as the finish sails on and on. Shows presence and depth, deftly balanced on the finish. Drink now through 2019. 437 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(14.7% alcohol; picked on September 22): Dark red-ruby. Fresh but a bit stunted on the nose, hinting at olive tapenade, truffle, black pepper, furry game and Herbes de Provence (Baron mentioned "hare entrails"). Wonderfully juicy, sweet and ripe but also firmly built and powerful, and not yet showing the compelling smoky, earthy complexity of the more recent vintages. Notes of chocolate and menthol convey a hot-year character but there’s still plenty of verve here, not to mention brooding black raspberry fruit that needs more time in bottle to express itself and expand. Finishes very long, with building tannins. This wine was very tight when I originally tasted it back in 2012 and it’s every bit as inscrutable today.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

Rich, backwards, structured and massively concentrated, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon comes mostly from the Champoux Vineyard (also from Galitzine, Klipsun, Palengat and Tapteil) and is comprised of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot that spent 22 months in all new French oak. Offering up plenty of creme de cassis, coffee bean, toasted spice, pencil shavings and violet-like qualities on the nose, it has palate staining levels of extract and tannin that come through on the mid-palate and finish. Gorgeously full-bodied, layered and textured, with perfect balance, this awesome Cabernet needs to be forgotten for 5-6 years and will have two to three decades of longevity. Drink 2018-2030.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RP(15.2% alcohol): Bright, dark medium ruby. Brooding aromas of blackberry, cassis, espresso, graphite, bitter chocolate and licorice. Plush, dense and utterly seamless, boasting lovely lift and sweetness to the black raspberry, dark chocolate and licorice flavors accented by wild herbs. Wonderfully glossy, suave cabernet with a 3-D texture and outstanding depth; generous yet primary. Spreads out on the very long, building finish to saturate the palate with rich chocolatey tannins. For all its impressive richness, this cabernet retains a light touch that I have not necessarily found in warmer recent vintages of Quilceda Creek's flagship wine.Vinous Media | 96 VMFrom a cooler year in Columbia Valley, this is up with the best. Herbal undertones alongside red bell pepper, mocha and rich black fruit aromas. The palate has good freshness, with a silky texture, and though less viscous has an elegant, pillowy mouthfeel. Creosote and blackcurrant flavours combine with dark chocolate-covered coffee beans and more capsicum notes. The acidity should ensure a long life ahead. Kudos to Paul Golitzin for crafting such a compelling wine in this challenging vintage. Drinking Window 2020 - 2028.Decanter | 95 DECPolished, vibrant and distinctive, with coffee and jasmine tea accents around a supple core of cherry and red plum fruit. The nubby tannins rub gently against the long finish. Shows tremendous depth while holding its power in check. Best from 2015 through 2025. 4,150 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 2010 Proprietary Red is very deep garnet colored with a hint of purple. It offers up wonderfully bold, expressive notes of crème de cassis, black cherry compote and mincemeat pie with wafts of bay leaves, incense, Chinese five spice and hoisin plus wafts of chargrill and yeast extract. Full-bodied, rich and opulent, the palate is laden with layer upon layer of exotic spice-laced black fruits with a firm yet plush frame and very long finish with some licorice notes coming through.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPFull medium ruby. Very ripe but reticent scents of black fruits, minerals, mocha, espresso and spices. Voluptuous and plush on entry, saturating the palate with a slightly unrefined wave of black fruits, minerals and mocha. This outsized, full-bodied, plummy wine shows lovely mineral verve, surprisingly restrained sweetness and a complicating saline element. Finishes with sumptuous, building tannins and terrific plum and graphite persistence. This wine is ripe enough to give great pleasure now but I’d still hold my bottles for the tannins to be further absorbed. It certainly has the stuffing to go on for many more years.Vinous Media | 94 VMA big and rich red with black currant and blueberry and chocolate. Full and vast. A more typical Napa cab of the period. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

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

Deeper and richer than the Jensen, the blockbuster-style 2012 Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard comes from vines planted in 1975 and wasn’t harvested until October 4. A big, rich, layered Pinot Noir that offers tight, reserved notes of blackcurrants, truffle, crushed rocks, forest floor and sassafras, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, beautiful acidity and building, fine tannin that come through on the awesome finish. With air, it turns more and more mineral-laced and earthy, showing even a touch of gaminess. This beauty has terrific depth and richness without ever being over the top. Still a baby, give it a few years in the cellar, and enjoy bottles over the following decade. Bravo to Josh Jenson for this smokin’ effort!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPCalera’s 2012 Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard is virtually seamless on the palate, with deep layers of fruit that nearly bury the tannins. Dark red and purplish fruit, mint, lavender, sage and sweet spices. Nuanced and impeccably balanced throughout, the 2012 captures the sexiness of the vintage yet retains tons of aromatic nuance and finesse. The 2012 will be a fascinating wine to follow over the next decade-plus.Vinous Media | 96 VMCola, sasparilla, cherry blossoms, hard cherry candy and a hint of black currant hit the nose on this rich wine from Josh Jensen. The palate shows brown spice, with clove and peppercorns wrapping around a rhubarb-licorice-thyme character and tart cherries, making for an incredibly distinctive wine.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots, which is their proprietary red wine blend from Knights Valley, is a killer effort, and one of their all-time greats, ranking right up there with the 2007 or 1997. A blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot, there are 3,600 cases of it. The wine displays plenty of mocha, chocolate, blackberry, creosote and charcoal in an incredibly complex fragrance. Full-bodied and opulent, it shows, loads of tannin, a hint of unsmoked cigar tobacco and plenty of black and blue fruits. Opaque purple to the rim, this wine is in need of a good 5-6 years of cellaring and certainly has 30-40 years of life in it.Robert Parker | 98+ RPThe energy and decadence in this wine is truly breathtaking with dried flowers, wet bark, plum, strawberry, and forest fruit. Full body, ultra-soft and velvety tannins. Savory and sappy. Juicy finish. Decadent and more-ish. A wine with a great future and richness. 69% cabernet sauvignon, 21% cabernet franc, 9% merlot, and 1% petit verdot.James Suckling | 98 JSA great vintage for this estate’s grand, full-bodied flagship red (69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot). Powerful, opulent and complex, it’s deep and fruity, with smoky, tobacco undertones from its 18 months in oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DECTightly coiled and slow to reveal its strengths, with dusty dark berry, licorice, road tar, cedar and graphite flavors, ending with a touch of mocha and creamy vanilla. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2020 through 2032. 3,650 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSPowerful and tannic in the glass, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots is going to require considerable patience. All the classic Knights Valley signatures come through loud and clear, with beams of supporting tannin and acidity that give the wine its shape and overall feel. Black cherry, game, smoke, licorice and tobacco convey brooding intensity.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Lastly, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is one of the gems in the vintage. I continue to find a Latour-like quality in this cuvee and the 2014 boasts a deep purple color, killer notes of lead pencil, charcoal, scorched earth, crushed rocks, and loads of dark fruits. Medium to full-bodied, elegant yet concentrated, impeccably balanced and with a big finish, hide bottles for 3-4 years and enjoy over the following 2+ decades. This cuvee is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot that was brought up in plenty of new oak, and there are roughly 700 cases produced.Speaking about the recent vintages, this team loves their 2016s and calls them the purest expressions of their varieties they’ve seen. These are indeed beautiful wines that seem similar to the 2014s, yet with a touch more oomph and mid-palate depth. I loved the 2015s and these are classic wines from Napa Valley that lead with their fruit, yet like all the wines from Kapcsandy, remain beautifully balanced, if not restrained in this vintage. The 2014s are drinking beautifully today, with elegant, classic, even old-world styles, and they’re going to evolve nicely as well. These are all classy, regal wines.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDExtremely floral and complex on the nose with cedar, blackberries, blueberries, tobacco, stones, mushrooms... I'm simply running out of words here! Full to medium body and a tight and compact center palate. This is complete and dense. Extremely long and energetic. Drink in five years but a joy to taste. One of the best ever.James Suckling | 99 JSDeep medium ruby; more saturated than the Roberta's. Knockout nose offers aromas of cassis, black cherry, dark plum, shoe polish and espresso, plus an element of toasty oak. Remarkably plush, dense and seamless, presenting a compelling balance of sweet dark berry fruit and firming minerality, with complicating notes of tobacco and spices. Really sensational Cabernet purity here! The wine's substantial tannins hit the palate late and build, giving the very long finish an element of sweetness that makes the Roberta's seem almost dry in comparison. Lou Kapcsándy described 2014 as "a steady year in the middle of drought years, with a relatively cool August and a fairly stress-free harvest--and easier than the warm 2013 growing season." (13.9% alcohol; 98% new French and 2% new Hungarian oak)Vinous Media | 98 VMAlways an exceptional cuvée, there are 900 cases of the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin, which is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot. In 2015 there were 700 cases. This wine is even softer than the 2015, perhaps slightly less concentrated, but still at the top of the qualitative hierarchy in Napa Valley, with its terrific purity, nose of licorice, camphor, forest floor, blackcurrant and cedar wood. It is gorgeously fruited, full-bodied, but super-well-balanced. This is a beauty that can be drunk early, or cellared for another 25-30 years.Robert Parker | 96 RP

The 2014 Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard may end up being the greatest vintage for this vineyard to date. Offering a thrilling bouquet of black raspberries, sassafras, mint, ginger, and exotic flowers, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a wealth of sweet fruit, ripe, polished tannin and great, great finish. It’s the most opulent and sexy of the 2014s, yet stays beautifully balanced and is going to age gracefully for upwards of two decades. It’s one of those Do-Not-Miss wines from Calera.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDCropped at minuscule yields of 0.63 tons per acre, the 2014 Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard was my favorite of these single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from Calera. An opaque ruby-black in hue, the wine offers up a rich and complex bouquet of cassis, plums, figs, black truffle and creamy oak. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, rich and powerful, structured around a chewy chassis of tannin but possessing good energy and depth. On opening, this vintage of Selleck is almost brutally primary and atypically concentrated, but it becomes considerably more harmonious with extended aeration: while this will demand patience, it should be superb in the fullness of time. If you must try a bottle young, consider decanting.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP(Calera Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard Central Coast Red) The 2014 Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard is one of the riper, more extroverted wines in this range. I expect the Selleck will, in time, be superb, but it needs at least a few years to shed some baby fat. Today, it comes across as quite ripe and intense. Dark cherry, plum lavender, mint and exotic spice overtones add to the wine’s distinctly bold personality. (Drink between 2022-2034)Antonio Galloni | 94 AGJosh Jensen finds that his Selleck vines produce some of his most concentrated pinot noir. Planted in 1975 on a rocky ridge of decomposed granite and pockets of limestone, the vineyard is 4.8 acres with exposures to the south and southwest. This 2014 is saturated with flavor, deep in its bass notes of cherries, rich and bold. It’s completely savory, almost staunch in its formal structure, a wine of stature to age for a decade or more. (210 cases)Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SWith just over a half-ton harvested per acre due to the drought, this is a potent wine, with nose-tickling dark boysenberry, asphalt and wet stone aromas and brighter lifts of dried sage and raspberry. The soft palate combines vibrant acidity with raspberry and mulberry flavors and a hint of dried herbs.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

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 RPSaturated 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 VMThe 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 JDA 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 smaller production 2015 Au Paradis is a more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated cuvée that checks in as 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Cabernet Franc. Aged in 18 months in 50% new oak, it has a more masculine, mineral-laced style offering red and black currants, crushed rocks, chocolate, and spice. Deep, rich, concentrated, and in need of 4-6 years of cellaring, this Château Latour-lookalike is an awesome, classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA bright and vivid red with aromas of terracotta, fresh herbs, currants and blackberries. Some mint, floral notes and a touch of chocolate, too. Full body and ultra-fine tannins that are layered with ripe fruit. Love the length and beauty. Changes all the time in the glass. A fascinating wine.James Suckling | 98 JSPeter Michael’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis captures the essence of this well-exposed site on Oakville’s Upper Plateau. Dark cherry, plum, sage, mint, kirsch, espresso and chocolate are explosive in this plush, deeply textured Cabernet Sauvignon. The 50% new oak adds a dollop of sweetness without overpowering the wine. This is a gorgeous 2015.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is striking for its density, complexity, focus and range of flavors and textures, with initial scents of smoky oak running toward the seamless finish, offering notes of dark berry, cedar, crushed rock and fresh earth. Best from 2021 through 2032. 1,620 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSFrom Peter Michael's only Napa Valley vineyard comes this polished, pretty wine with strong Cabernet Franc character. Explosive floral aromas lead to mouthcoating red and black fruits, suave tannins and an irony minerality. 100% new French oak.Decanter | 94 DECComposed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackcurrants, blackberries and mulberries with hints of menthol, violets, bay leaves and cloves, plus a waft of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is energetic and yet tautly structured with firm, grainy tannins and a lively backbone framing the muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. Give it 2-3 years in bottle and drink it over the next 25+. 1,620 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Mount Eden’s 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon represents the essence of what Cabernet Sauvignon is all about in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Deep, powerful and explosive, the 2016 simply has it all. A wine of tremendous depth and intensity. Readers, take note. This is world class Cabernet Sauvignon that in any other region would cost 2-3 times as much. Savory and expansive, with tons of mountain character and remarkable richness from low yields in 2016, the Cabernet Sauvignon is simply off the charts. It’s another utterly breathtaking wine from Mount Eden.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is blended with 12% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The nose offers pure cassis finely layered with Chinese five spice, dried rose petals, graphite and pipe tobacco with a wild, game-like undercurrent. The palate is seamless, opening to an array of detailed fruits and spices, with a silt-like structure and expansive juicy uplift. It’s a wonderfully balanced Cabernet that offers immediate appeal plus everything it needs for a long life in the cellar. 1,582 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe combination of high-elevation vineyards, oceanic influence and surrounding coniferous forest give Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet a singular profile, and few show it off as well as Mount Eden. Aged 22 months in 50% new oak, a mixture of French and American. Contains 12% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. American wood instils notes of candied orange rind and coconut flakes into an otherwise gravel-driven nose. The palate has a graceful, buoyant quality that gently floats across the palate. The finish is very dry and wound up like a spring, which will continue to be the case for the next several years. This is a wine to slowly let unfurl, both when ageing and consuming; open several hours in advance. Drinking Window 2024 - 2054.Decanter | 96 DECDried dark fruit, toasted cedar, shaved cocoa and sappy redwood tones make for a very dry expression on the nose of this classic bottling. Those elements meet with dense and dry blackberry and black plum on the sip, where dried herbs, black-pepper and soy flavors also arise. The elegant structure is such that this wine just doesn’t die, even after more than a week of sitting open. Drink 2022–2046.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WENo written review provided. | 95 W&SThis shows a zesty mix of sage and grilled savory notes, backed by a sleek black currant, plum and black cherry core. The singed alder and mesquite frame shows on the finish, which is tightly focused and youthfully closed for now, with just a bolt of iron showing. When this rounds into form, it will be a winner. Best from 2023 through 2036. 1,259 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WS

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

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

Readers looking for a killer Cabernet that won’t break the bank should check out the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Carbone from Favia. This dense purple-hued beauty boasts classic cassis and blueberry-like fruit intermixed with lots of tobacco, lead pencil shavings, violets, and spring flower nuances. These carry to a medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, elegant Cabernet with a great mid-palate and the class to evolve for 10-15 years. It’s well worth seeking out.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2018 Carbone Cabernet Sauvignon is a bright, effusive wine. Sweet red berry fruit, mocha and a whole range of floral/savory aromatics burst from the glass. Medium in body and inviting, the 2018 drinks well now, but it also has the vibrancy to develop nicely in bottle. Carbone is the second wine of Favia.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard opens with provocative ferrous, crushed rocks and tar notes over a core of crème de cassis, redcurrant jelly and raspberry leaves with a hint of wild fungi. The medium to full-bodied palate is taut with tension and jam-packed with pure black and red fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins, finishing with uplifting mineral sparks. This energetic beauty needs some time. Give it a good 4-5 years in bottle and drink it over the next 25 years+. 396 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is such a gorgeous and highly representative wine off this site. Crushed rocks, graphite, menthol, crème de cassis and spice are so typical of this site. At this stage, the Piedras does not have the sheer appeal or immediacy of the Crane, but then again, that is Piedras. All of this fruit is Clone 4, which in this rugged site yields very small berries with plenty of concentration. And that is exactly what comes through in this majestic Cabernet.Vinous Media | 96 VMA juicy, round-textured red with plum and berry character, as well chocolate and spice. Wet rock, too. It’s full-bodied and layered with pretty fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Extremely polished and poised. A little tight at the finish. Drink after 2023, but already very attractive.James Suckling | 96 JSRipe and vivid, with a lovely display of cassis, plum and anise flavors driving through nicely, while violet and graphite accents add range and length. A light bramble accent underscores it all, adding good energy. A really strong showing. Best from 2022 through 2036. 396 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 2018 Pym-Rae can be thought of as a hypothetical mix of the 2016 and 2017, with more sexiness and opulence than the 2017 and a touch more elegance and precision than the 2016. Wonderful cassis, violets, tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate notes define this beauty, and it’s full-bodied, with a gorgeous sense of elegance and purity, perfect tannins, and an incredible finish. This stunningly majestic, flawlessly balanced Mountain Cabernet already offers pleasure yet will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age, and it should be a 50-year wine. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2018 Pym-Rae reveals a deep garnet-purple color and a slightly reticent, slowly emerging nose of freshly crushed blackcurrants, ripe blackberries and wild blueberries with suggestions of garrigue, red currant jelly, mossy tree bark and truffles plus wafts of bouquet garni and Sichuan pepper. The palate is full-bodied and fantastically concentrated with tightly wound layers of black and red berry notions, framed by very firm yet beautifully ripe tannins and amazing tension, finishing with epic length and loads of mineral sparks.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis is extremely aromatic with blackberries, black pepper and spice. Dried flowers, too. Full-bodied with very tight, fine tannins and a racy, refined finish. Raspberries and currants at the end. Very fine and polished. The center fruit is so pure. Aged in 60% new wood barrels and 40% concrete. Drink in 2023 and onwards.James Suckling | 97 JS

Leading off the 2018s from barrel, the 2018 Melbury is spectacular juice, offering an already complex nose of cassis and black raspberry fruits intermixed with notes of dried flowers, graphite, chalky mineral, and spice. All about elegance and purity, it’s full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, and a great wine in the making.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDA barrel sample, the 2018 Melbury sports a deep garnet-purple and sashays out of the glass with bold, gregarious scents of fresh black cherries, mulberries and plums with hints of black currants, cinnamon toast and Sichuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and refreshing, it is chock-full of crunchy fruit with compelling mineral accents coming through on the long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2018 Melbury is, as always, the first of the single-vineyard wines presented at Bond. The order is always the same: Melbury-Quella-St. Eden-Vecina and Pluribus. I suppose that makes sense from the standpoint of concentration and structure, but it is quite penalizing for the Melbury, a wine that is more about elegance than power or tannins. That said, the 2018 is not a shy wine, it certainly has plenty of depth. Freshness, energy and verve are the signatures in a Cabernet that is all about intangibles. Hints of dark red cherry, tobacco, rose petal, mint and sweet spice emerge over time. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGBrightness and purity to this, offering blueberries, fresh plums and peaches. It’s medium-to full-bodied with ripe, fine tannins Terra cotta and red fruit at the end. Dusty texture. Drink after 2023, but so good now.James Suckling | 98 JSPacked with dark blackberry and black currant preserves, this has nicely coiled energy, with sassafras and apple wood accents mixed with flashes of sweet bay leaf and tobacco. Subtle sanguine and black tea hints curl around the finish. Best from 2023 through 2037.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Moving to the 2018s, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calarcadia Vineyard (previously released as just a Cabernet Sauvignon and not a vineyard designate) is pure magic, and lovers of classic Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon should snatch up bottles. Showing the vintage’s more elegant, classic, almost reserved style, it reminds me of a great vintage of Pontet Canet with its deep black and blue fruits, mineral, chocolate, tobacco, and lead pencil aromas and flavors. Beautifully textured, full-bodied, concentrated, and structured, it’s one for the ages. Hide bottles for a solid 7-8 years, and it should keep for 30+ years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDA powerful, resonant wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calarcadia Vineyard is every bit as impressive as it was last year. A whole range of floral and savory notes lend aromatic intensity. Today, the 2018 is backward and brooding, although time in the glass reveals a complex wine with a very bright future. Sage, tobacco, licorice, menthol and dried herbs are laced throughout a core of dark, plush fruit. The 2018 is stunning. That’s all there is to it.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calarcadia Vineyard was aged in 100% new French oak for 20 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it features beautifully expressive notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked plums with a fragrant, earthy undercurrent and waft of tar. The palate is full-bodied and chock-full of densely laden black fruits, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and a lively backbone, giving a long, savory finish. 264 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP