Type of Wines

wines

Bright full ruby. Very dark nose combines black fruits, violet, graphite and river rock, plus subtle hints of molasses, tobacco and leather; less relentlessly primary than more recent vintages, but then 2010 widely produced explosive, complex, soil-driven aromas. This wine, too, shows a slightly liqueur-like quality yet seems less evolved than the Roberta’s. Stunningly silky yet penetrating too, with its dark fruit, mineral and floral flavors conveying terrific vinosity and cut. A firm tannic spine gives this savory wine terrific grip on the palate-staining back end. A distinctly European style in the context of Napa Valley, with its outstanding flavor complexity aided by alcohol below 14%. (100% new French oak).Vinous Media | 98 VMThe 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is a 275-case blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. It reveals intense red and black currant fruit, good acidity, hints of camphor and graphite, superb purity, a full-bodied texture and an extremely youthful (almost like a barrel sample) freshness and focus. This is a remarkably young yet promising, full throttle, beautifully made Cabernet Sauvignon that should be cellared for 5-7 years and drunk over the following two to three decades.Robert Parker | 96 RPA classy, Bordeaux-like red from Napa, with ripe, rich fruit and tiers of currant, spice, cigar box and tobacco leaf. Well-built, showing a measure of restraint, this delivers fine-grained tannins and a long, tapered finish. Best from 2014 through 2026. 275 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The sucrosity and richness of the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate are prodigious. This dense purple-colored offering from the famous Rutherford AVA exhibits copious red and black fruits (especially blackberries and dark jammy cherries), an intense mouthfeel and full body, but no heaviness or astringency. There is plenty of structure, the wood is pushed to the background, and the finish lasts 40-45 seconds. This beauty is one of Staglin’s finest wines to date. It should provide plenty of pleasure over the next two decades.Robert Parker | 97 RPSaturated bright ruby to the rim. Musky, complex nose combines cassis, mocha, minerals, graphite and Rutherford dust, all lifted by a subtle floral nuance. Suave, rich and seamless in the mouth, showing surprising lift to its red and black fruit, spice, cocoa powder and mineral flavors. Lovely harmonious acidity gives this wine a light touch and carries the fruit through a suavely tannic, palate-staining, vibrant finish. I found this dense but delineated wine drinkable virtually from the outset owing to its noble tannins but it is evolving slowly and should still give great pleasure for another decade or more. Long on personality, and an outstanding example of its vintage.Vinous Media | 94 VMAromas of walnut, dark berries and blueberries. Some mint. Full body with silky, refined tannins and an orange-peel, berry and Thai-mint aftertaste. Better in a year or two but beautiful now.James Suckling | 94 JSA bold, rich and plush style, marked by finesse, with expansive dark berry, cedar, green olive and savory herb notes. For all the richness and depth on display, this wine’s strengths lie in its smaller details. Drink now through 2025. 1,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSToasty black-fruits and eucalyptus aromas - imposing and forthright. The palate is voluptuous and dense, but with polished tannins and appealing sucrosity without over-maturity.Decanter | 91 DEC

(blended with 7% cabernet franc): Enticing nose melds redcurrant, cherry, anise, milk chocolate and a floral element. Suave, sweet and graceful, showing a lovely sugar/acid balance to the red fruit, mineral and sexy oak flavors. Boasts sneaky flavor intensity and subtle length, finishing with smoother tannins than the Helms. A very successful, refined 2011 cabernet.Vinous Media | 92 VMFairly massive, with deep, rich fruit and ample tannins. The core flavors are centered on currant, plum and blackberry. Cedary oak and crushed rock loaminess are evident on the chewy finish. Best from 2016 through 2025. 308 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Amazing aromas of blackberries, blueberries, mushrooms and violets. Full body with a dense, precise palate and a firm, intense finish. Masculine but formed and polished. This needs at least four or five years to come even more together.James Suckling | 97 JS(picked on November 1): Red-ruby color, the darkest of these 2011s. Dark berries, coffee and licorice on the nose, with a sexy animal character adding interest. Less sweet than the Lotus but with noteworthy finesse of texture to the flavors of blue fruits, menthol and dark spices. Very pure and laid-back today, finishing with sneaky length. The tannins seem much more successfully integrated with the wine’s fruit than they appeared to be in barrel a year ago. Winemaker Cameron Vawter noted that the 2011s were racked only after the malolactic fermentations and again for the blending.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard, which comes from a site on Howell Mountain, is still youthful, with a dense plum color as well as a powerful, masculine nose of blackcurrants, chocolate, graphite, and scorched earth. It stays tight, compact, and structured on the palate, with lots of tannins, and it remains to be seen if there’s enough fruit to handle all the structure. At the end of the day, I think it does. Give bottles another 3-4 years and it should keep for another decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe fruit for the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard was picked on November 2, and it is certainly one of the stars of the vintage, reflecting the success Howell Mountain enjoyed in this vintage. It possesses excellent ripeness along with mulberry, blueberry and black raspberry fruit intermixed with hints of wet rock and graphite. Ripe, lush and medium to full-bodied with sweet tannin, this beauty, because of the precociousness and forward character of the 2011s, is best consumed over the next 10-12 years.Proprietor Hi Sang Lee has resurrected this once historic estate in Rutherford where the winery was first constructed in 1883 by H. W. Helms. There are four cuvees as of 2010, the Crystal Springs Vineyard on Howell Mountain, the Helms Vineyard in Rutherford, the Hershey Vineyard on Howell Mountain and the Lotus Vineyard in Napa Valley. They also produce a wine called Onda, which is meant to be a more forward styled, lower priced effort. Kudos to Hi Sang Lee and his son for resurrecting this historic estate.Robert Parker | 90-92 RPA rich, powerful expression of dense loamy earth, tobacco, black licorice, mineral and dark berry flavors. This never lets up, framed by persistent, gutsy tannins. Drink now through 2022. 304 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The perfect 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot aged 20 months in 100% new French oak. I think this is the third perfect score I’ve given to this wine, which is the essence of their vineyard, representing about 13% of the total production, or a mere 320 cases. The wine has a gorgeously opaque purple color and a beautiful nose of camphor, charcoal, blackberry and cr?me de cassis with licorice and truffle. It has unbelievable richness, great texture, tremendous finesse, precision and delineation. Very intense, full-bodied and super-pure, the length of the wine must be at least 50+ seconds. This is a gorgeous wine and one of the great superstars of this fabulous vintage. Drink it over the next 25-30 years.Robert Parker | 100 RPSaturated dark red with ruby highlights. Wonderfully complex perfume combines black raspberry, blueberry, subtle torrefaction notes and a hint of black olive. Boasts outstanding thickness of texture without any heaviness, with its dark fruit and mineral flavors complicated by subtle spices. Perhaps most impressive today on the back end, which features an explosive, sappy flavor of tart cherry stomp and spreads out horizontally to saturate the palate. Of course there are tannins here, but that word did not appear in my original tasting note as they are totally buffered by the wine's extract-rich fruit. (14.1% alcohol; 100% new French oak).Vinous Media | 98 VMViolet, lavender, rosemary, and stone undertones. Full body, super polished and beautiful fruit. Very long and linear. Volcanic salt. Wonderful length and balance. Goes on for minutes. Better in 2020.James Suckling | 97 JSPure and focused on earth- and herb-laced sweet currant and tarry notes, this flexes some tannic muscle and features a strong, persistent, complex and layered finish. Very Bordeaux-like in structure and flavor profile. Drink now through 2029. 250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Extraordinary aromas of metal shavings, black currants and hazelnuts. Turns to roses and violets. Full-bodied, yet subtle and refined with a polished piercing tannin backbone. This makes you want to drink it. Sexy and elegant. A triumph. Try in 2019 but hard not to drink now. September release.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Helms Vineyard, which is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Rutherford AVA, has a dense black cherry and blackcurrant-scented nose with graphite and forest floor notes, beautiful purity, full-bodied mouthfeel and super-richness and power, but elegant and complex. This is classic Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon and should age beautifully for 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 96 RPDana’s 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Helms Vineyard possesses remarkable structure and density, especially within the context of the year. Firm yet well-integrated tannins give the wine much of its energy, tension and focus. Black cherry jam, graphite, smoke and tobacco add nuance as the wine opens up in the glass. Far from an easygoing 2012, the Helms is going to need time to fully come together. There is so much to look forward to here. This is the first vintage since 2008 that was vinified in wood uprights, as was originally intended. The intervening vintages have been much shorter, so they were done in barrel. The 2012 impresses for its balance of fruit, acidity and tannin.Vinous Media | 96 VMDense and pleasantly earthy, with an edge of loamy earth and crushed rock minerality cutting through the core of currant, blackberry and mocha before the dense, earthy tannins fold in. The finish is long and engaging. Drink now through 2030. 284 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard comes from an 1,800-foot elevation and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon harvested October 19-22. This is a sensational superstar from Howell Mountain with an inky purple color, notes of mocha, mulberry, crème de cassis, graphite and spring flowers. It is dense, full-bodied, opulent and concentrated with sweet but moderate tannin. This is a stunner that should drink well for another 25 or so years.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard has developed into a round, sumptuous Howell Mountain wine with the soft contours and exceptional overall balance. Iron, sweet red cherry, plum, smoke and licorice meld together in an open-knit yet structured Cabernet Sauvignon with tons of sheer appeal. The exotic, savory/mineral bouquet is pure Howell, but there is also a softness to the 2012 that makes it incredibly appealing, even today. A final kick of Howell Mountain tannin lingers on the close. As always, the Hershey is the most vivid and structured of the Dana Cabernets.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis is so tight, linear and balanced with superb focus and precision in the mouth. Harmony in the bottle. Full-bodied, yet reserved and poised with truffle and blackcurrant aromas and flavors. Super tight.James Suckling | 98 JSA blockbuster, showing torque and drive, this is dense and chewy, with massive, extracted, earth- and cedar-laced dark berry, graphite and oak elements, complemented by potent tannins. Needs time. Drink now through 2030. 312 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Seemingly just entering maturity, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill boasts stunning fresh, vital notes of redcurrants and raspberries, accented by intricate details of dried sage and bay leaf. It’s amazingly silky and supple, a charming, softly tannic effort that somehow combines intense levels of concentration with almost indescribable harmony and finesse.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPA solid and powerful cabernet with age with chewy tannins and a dark berry and walnut character. Chewy texture and lightly austere. Very dry but enticing. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is rich and explosive, with tons of concentration, depth and structure. Dark blue and black fruit, mocha, smoke, menthol, licorice and spices all burst from the glass as this huge, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon shows off its pure class. Readers will have to be patient with the 2012, a wine that will blow the roof off the house with its unbridled power.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard is a rival for the 2012. Opaque purple, with blueberry and blackberry fruit, a hint of incense and subtle toast, the wine has great intensity, incredible richness and, again, a floral blue- and black-fruited nose and flavor profile that is remarkable. The finish goes on for close to a minute. This is slightly more tightly knit than the more ostentatious 2012, but both are wines to taste and drink before you die!Robert Parker | 100 RPFabulous aromas of dark fruits such as blackberry and bramble berry plus coffee and smoked meat. Full-bodied, very tight and reserved. Superfine and polished tannins. Sweet and subtle fruit flavors. Precise and focused. So silky. Savory. A wine that gives wonderful pleasure and intrigue. Drink or hold. 320 cases.James Suckling | 97 JSA deep, dense, powerful wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill exudes pure richness. The flavors are dark and boldly sketched throughout, with gorgeous savory and mineral notes that add shades of nuance to the dark, inky fruit. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2013 is remarkably balanced for such a young wine. The 2013 should drink well with just a few more years in bottle. As always, the Tychson Hill is the most open and forthcoming of the Colgin wines.Vinous Media | 96 VMComplex, with a range of flavor extending from espresso to mocha to smoky, toasty oak, adding depth and dimension to the firm core of chocolate-laced blackberry and wild berry. Ends with firm, ripe tannins and excellent length. Best from 2020 through 2033. 425 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Along with the 2015, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is one of the greatest wines made at this property. Deep, powerful, layered, and incredibly concentrated, it has the classic bluer fruits of this estate as well as notes of graphite, chocolate, spring flowers, and bouquet garni. Opening up with time in the glass, it’s a rich, thrilling wine in just about every sense. Give bottles another 3-4 years and it’s going to have 2-3 decades of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDBoth 2013 Cabernet Sauvignons are in bottle, and both are absolutely magnificent wines, probably the two finest Cabernets made by the Staglins to date. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford (14.9% alcohol) has a stunning fragrance of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers (or is it violets?), sweet blackcurrant and black raspberry fruit, and a layered, opulent, rich and full-bodied mouthfeel. Add to that striking purity, equilibrium, and serious but finely grained tannins, and this is their finest Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon made to date. It has at least 30-40 years of life ahead of it.Robert Parker | 97+ RPThe 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is still very young. Dark, powerful and quite brooding in bearing, the 2013 possesses notable depth and textural intensity. Blue/black fruit, gravel, scorched earth and grilled herbs add to a feeling of somber intensity. In this vintage, there is less Cabernet Sauvignon and more Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the result of higher percentages of those varieties in some of the co-fermented lots. Overall, the 2013 feels a bit compact today.Vinous Media | 94 VMA ripe and generous red with ripe berry, smoky meat and leather. Full-bodied, round and velvety. Extremely rich style for 2013. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

One of my favorite first-growth sites of Napa Valley is the Dr. Crane Vineyard on the back streets of St. Helena, and Myriad produces two cuvées: a 225-case Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and the Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian, which is a barrel selection based on the best barrels Mike Smith can find from Darnajou and Taransaud cooperage. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr Crane Vineyard, 15.1% alcohol, is from clone 337 and is a wine of great power and richness with complex blueberry and blackberry, charcoal and graphite notes, stunning minerality, beautiful purity, velvety tannins and a killer finish of close to 50+ seconds. This wine is drinkable because it is a 2014, but it should age nicely for two decades or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPI loved the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard and it offers sensational purity and elegance in its crème de cassis, lead pencil, graphite and smoked earth aromas and flavors. One of the deeper, richer and more concentrated wines in the lineup, yet still with the telltale 2014 suppleness and elegance, this full-bodied beauty has polished tannin, no hard edges and is pure class all the way. As with all the 2014s from Mike, it already offers pleasure today, yet will cruise in the cellar on it balance, purity and freshness.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDBlackberry and fresh mushroom aromas. Fresh spices to boot. Full-bodied, layered and dense. A little old school but shows a firmness and form to it. Give this two or three years.James Suckling | 95 JSExhibits the chewy edginess of a young wine, with tannins out front of a rich core of gravel and licorice notes, laced with blackberry and currant accents. The finish is strong, long and structured, reverberating with the core flavors. Drink now through 2034. 200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSMyriad’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane is powerful, dense and sweet, with plenty of the fruit intensity that is typical of this site. Red cherry and raspberry jam, sweet spices, mint and spice notes all develop nicely. Succulent and juicy, the 2014 will drink well with minimal cellaring.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Few and Far Between opens with tantalizing molten chocolate and liquid licorice notions over crème de cassis, candied violets, baked red currants, kirsch and black tea scents. The palate is full-bodied and firmly textured with ripe, grainy tannins while packed with floral and black fruit layers, finishing very long and minerally with an energetic red fruit lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPHundred Acre’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Few and Far Between, from Jayson Woodbridge’s Calistoga site, is a reminder of how expressive and rewarding his wines can be. Dark cherry, plum, new leather, smoke, licorice and menthol are all super-intense in this racy, voluptuous Cabernet Sauvignon. Potent and full-throttle, the 2014 possesses tremendous aromatic intensity (a signature of 2014) to play off the dense fruit. I tasted the 2014 blind as part of a tasting of wines from Calistoga’s Kenefick Ranch district, where it was both impressive and distinctive.Vinous Media | 96 VM

The 2015 Screaming Eagle is another monumental wine from this address, and it's one of those cases where if you afford it, you should buy it. A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, this magical elixir boasts a deep purple color as well as a blockbuster bouquet of blueberries, creme de cassis, violets, incense, and cedarwood. Reminding me of the 2015 Château Margaux with its off the charts class and purity, it’s full-bodied, thrillingly textured, and has a finish that just won't quit. This legendary wine is going to keep for 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is a phenomenal wine on the nose with amazing aromas of mint and sage, highlighting the blackberry and slate character. Blackcurrants and wet earth. Medium to full body with incredible precision and beauty. It rolls off the palate with super fine tannins. Savory and juicy. The minerality and pureness draw you into it. A precise and sophisticated Screaming Eagle that brings you in. So drinkable now but better in 2022.James Suckling | 100 JSComposed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, the very deep purple-black colored 2015 Screaming Eagle leaps from the glass with notes of freshly crushed black currants, black cherries and blackberries with suggestions of cigar box, black raspberries, red currants, chocolates, pencil lead and cast-iron pan plus a touch of potpourri. Medium to full-bodied with a rock-solid backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, it features the most incredible black and red fruit layers and finishes with incredible vibrancy and depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2015 Screaming Eagle is fabulous. Rich and ample on the palate, with soaring aromatics from the Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Ripe red plum, pomegranate, mint, kirsch, lavender and sweet spice notes are beautifully delineated in the glass. In this tasting, the Cabernet-based Screaming Eagle is quite a bit more open and accessible than the Merlot-based The Flight. Even so, it will be years before the 2015 Screaming Eagle is ready to drink.Vinous Media | 98 VMNotable for the focus on dark berry, licorice, plum and light oak notes, this is solid throughout, fanning out to capture a range of flavors. Texturally smooth until the finish, where the tannins grip. Best from 2021 through 2030. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

A classic, herb-tinged Cabernet nose. Discreet currant notes are backed up by savoury-earthy tones. Rich and juicy on the palate but balanced by well-built and muscular tannins. Showy, with a mountain edge.Decanter | 96 DECThis is a big and rich cab but shows the coolness of the Mt. Veeder area with fresh mushroom, tobacco and currant character. Full-bodied, tight and focused. Long and flavorful finish. The balance of tannin and fruit is right on. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder Single Vineyard is also beautiful, and probably my favorite in the lineup. Crème de cassis, black cherries, violets, incense, and spring flower notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, beautifully complete, layered 2015 that has bright acidity, present, firm tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and drink over the following 15+.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Single Vineyard opens with warm cassis, blueberry compote and black forest cake notes with hints of spice box and cigars. Medium-bodied with good intensity, it has just enough fruit and firm tannins, and the finish is long and savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPDusty leather and an Old World savory and feral nose, are accented by dried herb and pyrazine in this sinewy red. Pencil shavings, cedar and black olive stay on the classic theme, with plush, expansive tannins gripping the palate with finesse.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Stunning depth, power, purity and elegance. The blackcurrants and plums are fresh and intense on the nose with blueberries and gently herbal notes, too. The palate has a keenly articulated array of vibrant tannins that hold long, fresh and pure. It invokes a sense of wonderment at the finish. So long and so pure. This blend of 77 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 11 per cent merlot, seven per cent petit verdot and five percent cabernet franc, is just at the start of a wonderful journey. Try from 2021.James Suckling | 100 JSSmoky black, plummy fruits, graphite, violets, and that classic Monte Bello oak profile all shine in the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello, and it’s concentrated, full-bodied, and structured on the palate, with a beautiful core of fruit yet rock-solid aacidity and ripe tannins. While it’s a touch foursquare and gangly at present, it’s nevertheless a gorgeous effort that’s 5-7 years away from the early stages of its prime drinking window. It will have 40+ years of overall longevity and is an utter classic from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2015 Monte Bello is still a well-protected fortress of a wine. A more red-fruited and tobacco-laden Monte Bello, it’s mouthwateringly juicy and stubbornly tightly wound, giving rise to the question of whether it will ever let its guard down. Even so, the stuffing is undeniably there, so you might as well just keep waiting. Of course, the risk is that this wine may outlast all of us before it ever truly gives up the goods. Check on it again in five years.Vinous Media | 96 VMIf any Cabernet Sauvignon has a track record for quality and ageability in California, it’s Ridge’s Cabernet from the Monte Bello vineyard. (The wine came in first in Steven Spurrier’s 30 year re-enactment of the Judgment of Paris tasting). The Monte Bello vineyard is 109 miles south of Napa Valley in the cool Santa Cruz Mountains. For 47 years, it was made by legendary winemaker Paul Draper who formally turned over the reins to Eric Baugher in 2016. The 2015 Monte Bello (which has a touch of Cabernet Franc) is sleek, tight, and precise, with fine tannins and a quiet elegance.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECHaving recently passed its 10th birthday, the 2015 Monte Bello has lived up to the promise of its early days. It contains 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc and offers earth-forward aromas of dried mahogany, dark chocolate, brick dust and dried herbs. Supple and elegantly generous on the palate, its structure has started to soften, but fine-grained tannins are still apparent on the saturated, chewy finish. Squarely in the first phase of a proper drinking window, it is ready to be checked in on but clearly has a long life ahead.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPOne of America’s most iconic wines, this classic mountaintop blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc opens with aromas of dark berry, black pepper, lilac, baked earth and toasty oak. The wood spice carries throughout the palate, decorating the savory black-olive, charred meat and leather flavors, which are framed by sandy, polished tannins. Drink 2023–2045. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEEric Baugher heads up the team at Ridge’s Monte Bello estate, a collection of vineyards ranging in elevation from 1,300 to 2,700 feet, and a 19th-century stone winery near the top. Paul Draper made the first vintage of Monte Bello in 1969, a blend based on cabernet sauvignon to which he added other Bordeaux varieties depending on the season. Aside from Draper’s winegrowing, in which he insisted on maximum observation to minimize intervention, what sets Monte Bello apart from other great cabernets of California’s north coast is the decomposing limestone bedrock the vine roots use to sustain their foothold in these hills. Between the altitude and the limestone, this is cabernet with plenty of natural acidity; Baugher’s 2015, a concentrated vintage with low yields due to cold, stormy weather at flowering, feels particularly cool and brisk. This is savory cabernet, with what Tastings editor Karen Moneymaker described as the skinny beauty of a supermodel. The dark currant flavors, scents of tobacco and deep umami undertones all register in a clean, seriously structured wine. Like other great vintages of Monte Bello, this should live for decades.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 94 W&SRipe, with waves of dark currant, fig and blackberry fruit flavors cruising through. Delivers ample cut on the back end, where charcoal and graphite notes check in, along with tobacco, menthol and sage details. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. -- Non-blind Ridge Monte Bello vertical (June 2019). Best from 2023 through 2040. 4,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is absolutely delicious. Ripe, radiant and seductive, the 2015 is going to be nearly impossible to resist young. Even so, there is plenty of structural underpinning beneath all of the fruit. Sweet floral notes develop in the glass, adding lift, but above all else, the 2015 is a wine of textural voluptuousness, all in a silky, mid-weight style that is hugely appealing.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Four acres are now in production at this singular, historic hillside vineyard next to the former cottage of Josephine Tychson, lovingly restored by Ann Colgin. The vineyard truly offers a unique expression of Napa Valley, with beautiful fruit layers, great elegance and the most profound fragrance being signatures of the vintages I have tasted. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard jumps out of the glass with all the vibrancy of this vintage, singing notes of cassis, crushed red cherries and mulberries with touches of chocolate, espresso, baking spices, cloves and black soil plus wafts of lavender and dried roses. Medium to full-bodied, it has wonderful elegance and finesse in the mouth, offering many mineral, black fruit and savory layers, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard is stunning, and in this reviewer’s opinion, as good as wine gets. From an east facing site at the base of Spring Mountain that has warm days and very cool nights, it reveals a deep purple color and extraordinary notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, black cherries, exotic spices and spring flowers. Full-bodied, elegant, and seamless, yet concentrated and with incredible intensity, it’s a tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from a great terroir and an incredible winemaker. Beg, borrow or steal to try this beauty.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA very tight and precise 2015 with beautiful currants, blackberries and black tea. Full-bodied, yet so reserved and focused. Great depth and length. Harmonious and balanced. Drink in 2022 but so attractive already.James Suckling | 98 JSColgin’s 2015 Tychson Hill is rich and sumptuous in the glass. Ripe red cherry, plum, mocha, spice and new leather run through the 2015. A striking, generous wine, the Tychson Hill captures the essence of the year beautifully. Silky contours and soft tannins add to the wine’s considerable appeal. Look for the 2015 to drink well with minimal cellaring. This is a beauty from Colgin.Vinous Media | 97 VMAmazingly complex and hard to resist, as the mix of dark berry, spice, loamy earth, licorice and cedar are all in harmony, ending long, firm and cedary. Best from 2020 through 2034. 370 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard has a medium garnet-purple color and is a little closed to begin, giving up red and black currants, violets, lilacs and spice box plus chocolate-covered coffee beans, menthol, tilled soil and cardamom. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and built like a brick house, with loads of floral sparks and a very long, mineral-laced finish. Through the roof.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPA subtle, elegant expression, showing a gently mulled core of red currant and blackberry fruit, lined with savory, sage and menthol notes. Fine-grained through the finish, ending with whiffs of cedar and tea. Drink now through 2027.Wine Spectator | 91 WS