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The 2018 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard is a standout bottling that was aged entirely in neutral large-format oak and saw more than 50% stem inclusion. The stony tones on the nose really entice as orange zest, teaberry, saline-drenched red cherry and charcuterie tones all come together marvelously. The palate is seamless and elegant, with impeccable texture and beautiful length. Obviously a bit richer than other vintages, this shows crazy good finesse and offers one-of-a-kind terroir.Vinous Media | 97 VMNotes of blackberry, plum, licorice and spice on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with chewy tannins. Smoky and layered on the palate with juicy character and a ink-like feel. Herbal, racy finish with beautiful length. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSLuscious and boldly expressive yet refined, with raspberry, bacon fat, garrigue and river stone accents that sail on the long finish toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2032. 335 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSFrom the same site, the 2018 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard reveals a translucent ruby hue as well as a sappy, fresh bouquet of wild strawberries, blackberries, sappy flowers, pepper, orange blossom, and rose petals. Made in a medium-bodied, ethereal, elegant style, it has terrific purity of fruit, ripe yet crunchy tannins, and a beautiful finish. Some smoky, meaty notes emerge with time in the glass, and it has enough tannins to warrant 2-4 years of bottle age and will impress for over a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDOne sniff and there is no question where this wine comes from. The aromas dazzle, with notes of potpourri, smoked meat, mountain strawberry, wet stone, black olive juice, tapenade and orange peel. The palate is broad and full, showing more overt richness than recent vintages. A savory, flower-filled finish caps it off. It wins on grace.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPossessing a perfumed nose, the 2018 Grenache la Paciencia Vineyard offers up notions of stems, rose hip, baked earth, red pepper skin, juicy cherries and red spiced tea in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, the palate displays an elegant nature with succulent tannins that grip the gumline and will remain food-friendly for more than a decade. The wine concludes with a subtly spiced, red-fruited essence with a lingering mineral-laced focus. Just over 4,000 bottles were filled with this delicious Grenache that could easily sell at nearly double the price. No new oak was used in the creation of this wine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

Last of the Syrahs, the 2018 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard reveals a deep ruby/purple color as well as a wonderfully complex, classic Syrah nose of red and black fruits, cured meats, mushrooms, bacon fat, iron, and forest floor, with a touch of flowers emerging with time in the glass. With its medium to full-bodied richness, firm, focusing tannins, and great finish, it’s another wine that takes savoriness to the nth degree. I love its texture, and there’s almost a Burgundian style here that keeps you coming back to the glass. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDNotes of blackberry with coffee, nutmeg and smoke undertones. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins. Elegant and balanced on the palate with a creamy texture and supple, smoky character. Long finish. Drink in 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSBright ruby-red, the darkest of these Horsepower bottlings. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, menthol, bitter chocolate, crushed rock, violet and licorice are more Hermitage than Côte-Rôtie. At once dense and lively, conveying more energy and black fruit intensity than the Sur Echalas Syrah. Boasts lovely inner-mouth verve and definition for such a rich wine, and a captivating balance of sweetness and acidity. Also purer and sweeter than the Sur Echalas, with more subtle salty and balsamic tones. Finishes firmly tannic, ripe and very long, with complicating hints of violet and black olive. I particularly like this wine’s balance of acidity and sweetness. It has the spine to evolve positively in bottle but its subtle sweetness gives it early appeal. Incidentally, the Horsepower wines are fermented in concrete tanks and aged in neutral demi-muids and foudres, with this bottling getting some second-fill demi-muids. (Tasted June 2021; Published September 2021)Vinous Media | 94 VMWith grapes coming from a vineyard where the stones of the ancestral Walla Walla River and the surrounding silty loam meet, the aromas bring notes of raspberry, funk, ash, blood orange, black olive and potpourri. Palate-coating, intense flavors follow, showing layers of complexity. It’s more overtly rich in style than prior vintages but with no shortage of grace. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEDark ruby with a magenta rim, the 2018 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard offers the darkest and broodiest nose of the range this year, with elements of teriyaki beef jerky, roasted plums and black peppercorn spice. Full-bodied, the palate is dense and chewy with a firm tannic edge, offering a gripping mineral tension and elements of blackberry skin, turned earth and worn leather. Give this another year or two in the bottle and drink until its 15th birthday. The wine rested for two years in a mixture of demi-muids and foudre. Just under 6,200 bottles were filled.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThere’s a simmering core of power underneath the elegant texture of this red, which unfurls slowly with blackberry, bacon fat and garrigue tones. Drink now through 2029. 516 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2018 Gandona is superb. Inky dark fruit, gravel, spice, chocolate, menthol and licorice infuse the 2018 with striking layers of complexity, all with firm mountain tannins that give the wine shape, energy and drive. The 2018 is a real powerhouse. I can’t remember tasting a wine from this property with so much structure and tannin. Readers should plan on giving the 2018 plenty of air. I found the 2018 really only blossomed a number of hours after opening.Vinous Media | 97 VMBased on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 21 months in 60% new French oak, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Gandona is a sexy, powerful red offering lots of chocolatey dark fruits, notes of scorched earth, tobacco, and graphite, full-bodied richness, and a layered, impressively textured mouthfeel. There are only 400 cases produced, but it’s well worth seeking out.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 21 months in French oak, 60% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it gives up gregarious notes of crushed blackberries, ripe black cherries and blackcurrant cordial with hints of mocha, bay leaves and black licorice plus a waft of cedar. Big, concentrated, full-bodied and jam-packed with black fruit flavors, it has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and layered. 400 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

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

I loved the 2018 Red Blend Pollard Vineyard from Robin Pollard, and this might be the finest wine I’ve tasted from this vineyard. A blend of 40% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a pretty, perfumed bouquet of red and blue fruits, leafy tobacco, cedarwood, and spring flowers. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, balanced, elegant red with polished, fine-grained tannins, wonderful purity, and a great finish. All about finesse and elegance, it will evolve for 10-15 years if well stored.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDMade from a blend of 40% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Cabernet Franc, the fleshy and approachable 2018 Pollard Vineyard Red Wine offers aromas of crème de cassis with blackberry skin. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is delicious without being overly complicated by oak and displays complex layers of savory herbs that sway with a delightful expression of sweet red fruit before concluding with a persistent finish. The wine rested in 20% new French oak barrels. Only 555 cases were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPMedium red-ruby. Aromas of cassis, blackberry and menthol are carrying a full load of dark-chocolatey oak; less green than the Merlot. Tightly wound, fine-grained and bracing but also shows subtle sweetness to its intense black cherry, dark berry and spice flavors. There’s an intriguing floral element here but the wine needs time to unwind. Finishes with firm-edged tannins and sneaky persistence. Even higher-pitched than the Merlot, and ultimately less sweet. These wines have not yet been released.Vinous Media | 90+ 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 Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard is quite deep and heady in this vintage. Red fruit, iron, white pepper and savory herbs give the Ryan its distinctly incisive, feral personality. Hints of blood orange, raspberry and spice add an exotic flair. There is plenty of character here, that is for sure.Vinous Media | 94 VMComing from vines that provided less than one ton per acre, this concentrated bottling begins with aromas of blackberry, loamy soil and a hint of violet. The palate is wrapped in chalky tannins yet remains bright with black-raspberry and elderflower flavors. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WECalera’s highest elevation vineyard on Mt. Harlan, Ryan produced a powerful wine in 2018—rich, flavorful, broad in structure—all of it delivered with a compact texture that’s a marvel of control. It leads with scents of chocolate mint, black plum and beeswax, glossy, vinous and firm, the dark fruit flavors brushing up against sage-scented mountain scrub. A big wine; all of its weight is in the right place for skirt steak.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 93 W&SRipe and well-focused, offering gently mulled loganberry and black cherry fruit, with steeped black tea, incense and savory details. This is carried by a fine chalky spine through a lengthy finish. Solidly built and one for the cellar. Best from 2023 through 2033. 752 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This winery makes some of the more exciting wines in California right now, and this appellation blend offers a more affordable look at the style. Aromas of black raspberry, thyme, lavender and rose petals lead into a taut, energetic and expansive palate of fresh fruit and flower flavors. Brisk acidity pumps to the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2018 Pinot Noir (Santa Cruz Mountains) is fabulous. Dark, deep and exquisitely layered, the appellation Pinot shows just how outstanding 2018 is. There is so much to admire. Time in the glass brings out myriad shades of red/purplish berry fruit, spice, licorice, menthol, sage and blood orange. What a wine!Vinous Media | 93 VM

A hearty mouthfeel belies this wine’s quintessential and quenching acidity, driven by its cool-climate provenance and winemaking style. Green-apple, pear and tangerine flavors meld together easily along a midpalate of complex structure and length, with a lift of crispness reappearing on the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2018 Chardonnay Zephyr Farms comes from a site located 6.7 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Fermented and aged in 15% new French oak, it has a distinct salty, chalky mineral character as well as plenty of lemon, pear, white flowers, toasted spice, and a touch of almond paste aromatics. Beautifully textured and medium-bodied, with integrated acidity and a great finish, this brilliant Chardonnay will evolve for a solid decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2018 Chardonnay Zephyr Farms Vineyard is one of the deeper, more overt wines in this range. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. In this tasting, the Zephyr Farms is distinguished by its vertical depth and overall intensity. Wild flower, apricot, chamomile, lemon confit and lightly honeyed notes all grace this super-expressive and inviting Chardonnay from Red Car.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

This structured and concentrated wine is spot on for the vintage. It’s very dense in color and aroma, saturated with ultra dark chocolate, graphite and blueberries on a firm texture of taut tannins that will need time to evolve. Aged in 85 to 90 percent new American oak barrels, the wine should be approachable by 2028 and best from 2033.James Suckling | 97 JSThe lovely ruby red colour is translucent, revealing a heady wine of blackberry, liquorice, vanillin, spicebush, and dried floral notes with savoury, toasty oak spices. This 2018 offers one of the more restrained and pretty bouquets of Silver Oak’s Napa Cabernet in my memory. Very elegant on the entry, revealing a medium-bodied red wine with lovely cranberry fruit, plums, and currants, with a real depth to those fruit qualities framed by sculpted tannins that affix themselves onto the palate before giving way and resolving. Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant with trace amounts of Petit Verdot and Malbec. Aged in 85% new American Oak from The Oak Cooperage in Higbee, Missouri, the Duncans have owned it outright since 2015. The other 15% are second-use American oak barrels. They’ve been using the same cooperage for decades. The barrels imbue the Silver Oak wines with a classic vanillin quality, a nuance they always want to retain, even as they experiment with various toasts to produce smoother tannins in the toasting process.Decanter | 95 DEC

From a site next to Spotteswood, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon A. Price Vineyard has a complex style in its red and black fruits, new leather, sandalwood, and tobacco leaf-like aromas and flavors. These carry to a medium to full-bodied, wonderfully pure, balanced red with ripe yet present tannins, plenty of fruit and opulence, and a great finish. A blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot, it’s another brilliant wine from this label.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDMade form 100% Cabernet Sauvingon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon A. Price leaps with scents crushed redcurrants, blackberry pie and blackcurrant pastilles, plus hints of bouquet garni, tar and truffles. Full-bodied, taut and tightly wound, it has a firm, grainy texture and lively freshness, finishing with fantastic persistence. 190 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Allen Price Vineyard is soft, succulent and relatively easygoing, both for this wine and the vintage. Inky blue/purplish fruit, spice and lavender all meld together effortlessly. The 2019 is undeniably attractive, even if it does not have the depth of the very best years.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Translucent ruby, the 2019 Pinot Noir Los Alamos Vineyard, from the warmer, sandy Los Alamos region, was mostly destemmed (15% stems) and spent 18 months in 15% new barrels. A wonderful perfume of mulled cherries, baking spices, dried herbs, flowers, and forest floor gives way to a medium-bodied, ethereally styled, balanced, graceful Pinot Noir with light tannins and a great finish. It’s all about finesse and elegance, and it’s a beautiful, seamless Pinot Noir.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDQuite light in the glass, this bottling by Gavin Chanin offers aromas of pomegranate, red currant, hibiscus and white pepper on a nose that bounces from bright to juicy. The palate is a tad richer and more rounded, offering cherry and strawberry as well as underlying sagebrush flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2019 Pinot Noir Los Alamos Vineyard is laced with the essence of crushed red berry fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and mint. Readers will find an airy, gracious Pinot built on a whole range of floral and savory accents. The 15% whole clusters are expertly judged. Silky and beautifully perfumed, the Los Alamos Pinot is pure seduction.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 10% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc and aged 10 months in 60% new French oak. Deep ruby-purple in color, it opens with notes of rose petal perfume, cinnamon and garrigue with a core of black and red currant fruit and meaty, savory undertones. The palate is medium-bodied, silky and elegant with fresh, uplifted flavors and a lovely array of spices lingering on the finish. This is an excellent value!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThis is big and rich. Plum, chocolate and dried fruit on the nose and palate. Full-bodied and velvety with a juicy finish. Opulent, yet fresh. Drinkable now, but better in 2025.James Suckling | 92 JSCedar oil, charred cherry and tobacco aromas make for a dense, heady nose in this bottling. Chiseled tannins frame the roasted black cherry, cola and coffee flavors on the rich and hearty palate, which is powerful while still maintaining structure.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe base appellation 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon sports a ruby/purple hue as well as a spicy, complex nose of red and black fruits, spicy oak, dried flowers, and tobacco. This charming, elegant, seamless wine has lots of fruit, notable balance, and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

The 2019 Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyard is stunning with its quiet intensity, elegance and detail: blueberry pie, lilac and violet, prosciutto and mint chocolate define the nose. The medium-bodied palate is light on its feet, velvety in texture and seamlessly fresh, although it takes significant time in the glass to really unfold. Wow! It deserves 3-5 years to unwind in bottle and will be long-lived in the cellar. Drink Date 2024 - 2034 Robert Parker The Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2019 Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyard comes from further north, in Santa Maria, and it was mostly destemmed as well and spent 19 months in close to two-thirds new French oak. More Jamet-like notes of ripe blackberries, smoked game, ground pepper, and spring flowers define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied, with a perfectly balanced, multi-dimensional texture, incredible tannins, and a great, great finish. This is another brilliant, magical Syrah from Lato that flirts with perfection.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Il Padrino is silky, perfumed and gracious right out of the gate. This is an especially airy Syrah from Bien Nacido. The tannins are so harmonious, they are barely perceptible. A touch of Viognier in the blend adds lift to varietal dark and savory flavors. The Bien Nacido Syrah is terrific.Antonio Galloni | 95 AG

The 2019 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard is laced with hints of jasmine, lemon confit, mint, orchard fruit and tangerine oil. Time in the glass brings out light tropical overtones that take on a Riesling-like feel that is hugely appealing.Antonio Galloni | 95 AG

The 2019 Onomatopoeia is all Chardonnay from the cooler Edna Valley, and it’s a bright, medium-bodied, beautifully balanced white offering classic citrus and lemon fruits, notes of sappy herbs, vibrant acidity, and a great finish. Aged 14 months in 48% concrete eggs, 26% in new barrels, and the rest in neutral oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered, it’s incredibly impressive.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Chardonnay Onomatopoeia is creamy, open-knit and inviting, all of which make it a good choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Lees stirring and full malolactic fermentation add textural richness. Hints of apricot, lemon confit, sage and chamomile linger.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

The 2019 Grenache 2 2 Tango is terrific. A blend of 76% Grenache, 15% Graciano, and the rest Syrah, sourced from multiple sites throughout the Central Coast (mostly Ballard Canyon), it has a cool, lively, incredibly elegant style to go with textbook Grenache notes of red and blue fruits, ground pepper, and herbes de Provence. It has fabulous purity of fruit, and I’m a fan. Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2019 Grenache 2 2 Tango is a blend of Grenache, Graciano and Syrah. Boisterous and racy in the glass, the 2019 has a lot going on. Bright red berry/plum fruit, licorice and spice all open in the glass. This is an exuberant style, but the tannins are pretty fierce. Give it a year to soften.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

In the same ballpark quality-wise, the 2019 Syrah 2 2 Tango (89% Syrah and 11% Graciano) is riper and more exotic, with lots of violets, bay leaf, game, and peppery notes as well as a core of dark fruits. Full-bodied, balanced, and just impeccably put together, it’s a seriously good Syrah to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Syrah 2 2 Tango is a gorgeous, sumptuous wine that marries fruit from top sources in Ballard Canyon and Willow Creek. Juicy plum, black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice and spice are all kicked up. Readers will find an exuberant, open-knit wine that is ready to deliver the goods.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

The 2019 Petite Sirah 2 2 Tango is dense purple-hued and has an assortment of black and blue fruits as well as bouquet garni and sappy herb notes. With full-bodied richness, a monster of a mid-palate, remarkable purity, and a great, great finish, it’s a brilliant Petite Sirah that should evolve for a solid decade in cold cellars. The blend is 77% Petite Sirah, 14% Graciano, and 9% Syrah, aged in 69% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2019 Petite Syrah 2 2 Tango is mostly Stolpman and a touch of Rancho Boa Vista, both in Ballard Canyon. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, spice and menthol saturate the palate. The 2019 has plenty of Petite intensity, but with tannins that have been expertly managed. There is a lot to look forward to.Antonio Galloni | 92-94 AG

The 2019 Chardonnay Myrna shows just how compelling the vintage is for white wines. Lemon oil, white flowers, chalk and mint give the 2019 a brilliant upper register that almost comes as a surprise once the wine shows its superb depth and persistence. This highly expressive, nuanced Chardonnay has a lot going on and plenty to offer.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGA polished, minerally chardonnay with sliced apple, lemon rind and some stone and flint. Laurel and other herbs, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a creamy texture and balance. Phenolic texture. Lively and stony. From mountain vineyards in Sonoma and Mount Veeder. Nice debut wine. Drink or hold. 1,500 cases made.James Suckling | 94 JSHigh-toned and floral, this wine offers a generous mouthfeel of salty oak, mineral and wet stone. The elegant fruit profile combines pear, apple and Meyer lemon with ease, complementing the body weight with ample acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

The 2019 Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills is characterized by broad, intense flavors foiled by tangy acidity. It offers aromas of apple pie, honeycomb, toast and white blossoms and is intensely flavored, ripe and textural, finishing with energetic freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPPretty aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, lemon tart and flint. It’s full-bodied, yet bright, with tangy acidity. Textured and fleshy. Some spice and hay notes to close. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSWonderfully floral on the nose, sappy and rich on the palate, this expressive wine is packed with flavorful fruits perfectly set against tangy acidity. White peach, Asian pear and a touch of lime combine on a full-bodied midpalate. The juicy fruit flavors energize the wine and set the taster up for sip after sip.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEToasty with a lean oak frame, this smoky chardonnay’s aromas are mildly oaked at first. But the flavors are refreshing, lean and balanced, with an oyster-shell duskiness that suggests a pairing with shellfish, particularly seared scallops. Wine & Spirits | 92 W&S

This bold but light-bodied wine wraps phenomenal fruitiness and freshness in lively acidity and fine-grained tannins for a rare mix of vibrancy and concentration. It stops short of full ripeness and lures with red cherry, sour cherry and rhubarb flavors that are intense and long. Best from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2019 Pinot Noir Faîte de Mer Farm is the most elegant and complete of the Mendocino wines in this range. It is distinguished by layers of bright, red-toned fruit and soaring aromatics. Bright acids support a core of crushed raspberry fruit, wild flowers, mint, spice and crushed rocks. I very much like the vibrancy and cut here. The Faîte de Mer Farm is simply gorgeous.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

The 2019 Chardonnay Mountain Estate Vineyard is bright and high-toned, as it often is, but it also has gorgeous depth and fabulous balance. Citrus peel, white flowers, chalk and white pepper are all beautifully delineated in the glass. Readers will want to give the 2019 at least a year or two in bottle. Today, it is a bit nervy in feel, but it is all there.Antonio Galloni | 95 AG

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is similarly deep purple-hued and has a killer nose of cr me de cassis, spicy wood tobacco leaf, and graphite. It too is rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, with that classic 2019 broad, expansive, sexy mouthfeel to go with plenty of velvety tannins on the finish. It will evolve for at least two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDSourced from six different Napa Valley vineyards and a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from Accendo is a dark, cassis-laden effort tinged with violets and black tea. Full-bodied, rich, velvety and tannic, it shows lovely harmony and structure, ample but not overdone concentration and tremendous length and elegance.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPAccendo’s 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is every bit as alluring as it was from barrel. Plush and sensual, with no hard edges, the 2019 possesses magnificent balance from start to finish. Dark-fleshed fruit, spice, leather, tobacco and menthol build as this sumptuous, racy Cabernet shows off its tremendous charm. Best of all, the 2019 offers quite a bit of immediacy. I would choose to drink it ahead of some of the more structured recent vintages. As always, the Accendo Cabernet is a blend of several top sites in Napa Valley.Vinous Media | 98 VMTasted with Bart Araujo at Wheeler Farms, the ’Rolls Royce of custom crush facilities’, as described by Accendo winemaker Nigel Kinsman. Bart and wife Daphne established Wheeler Farms after selling their Araujo Estate (now Eisele Vineyard) to the Artemis Group. Grapes are sourced from Vine Hill Ranch, Sleeping Lady in Rutherford, Eco Tone (a former Abreu property), and a site on Diamond Mountain formerly known as Reverie. Generous blackberry fruit aromas are tinged with wild herbs and heady cedar spices. Broad and expansive on the palate with saturated dark fruit, cassis, graphite and wild herbs. Rustic, elongated tannins glide to a savoury finish.Decanter | 98 DECThis delivers a lush yet focused wave of gorgeous loganberry and black currant fruit laced subtly with warm loam, alder smoke and dried bay leaf details. A long cast iron spine drives underneath from start to finish, with the fruit taking an encore alongside a note of violet at the very end. Shows a touch more grip than your typical 2019. Impressive. Best from 2026 through 2040. 848 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2019 La Joie is deep garnet-purple in color. It has a wonderfully flashy and flamboyant nose of blackcurrant cordial, redcurrant jelly, plum preserves, and potpourri with hints of chocolate mint, tilled soil, chalk dust, and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate is very taut and muscular with tons of bright, crunchy black fruits and wonderful tension, finishing with tons of earthy nuances. 2,500 cases were made.The Wine Independent | 100 TWIComposed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the remainder of Petit Verdot, the 2019 La Joie is compact and unfolds more slowly in the glass. The nose is rich with graphite, sage oil, and black plum. The palate is full of kirsch, fresh leather, currant, and tobacco, with fine tannins that go for ages, along with the fruit and well-balanced acidity. This will warrant 3-5 years cellar to express its full potential over the following 20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2019 La Joie is striking on the nose with its pure, alluring scents of violet and iron. As it spends time in the glass, it gains intensity, blossoming to aromas of crème de cassis, mint chocolate, licorice, truffle and softening new French oak spices. The palate is bursting with concentrated flavors characterized by energetic acidity rather than weight or extraction. It features tremendously velvety tannins and a very long finish with ringing graphite and violet tones.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe purity of fruit with currants, spices and flowers is very impressive, as is the long, creamy texture. Full-bodied with medium, round tannins and a fresh finish. Oyster and iodine notes come through. Excellent. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSThis Sonoma County Bordeaux Blend shows the balance of the 2019 vintage. As serious as it gets. Predominantly Cabernet (84%), with lesser parts Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Both elegant and showy, with fantastic aromatics. Capsicum and savoury herbs introduce pronounced black fruit aromas. A vintage that produced small berries has resulted in a wine of great concentration, wild anise, black cherries and dark chocolate. Finely knit with elegant, savoury character marked by bay leaf and mountain scrub. Fresh, this wine is where finesse meets concentration.Decanter | 96 DEC