Bright medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of crushed cassis, bitter cherry, licorice and leather. Youthfully tight yet already quite penetrating; today the wine's licorice and fresh herb notes dominate its underlying dark fruit flavors. More backward than the 2011 La Muse, even austere today

Bright yellow. Pineapple, medicinal herbs and crushed rock on the nose. Very dense and tactile but less immediately fruity than the Upper Barn. Pineapple and grapefruit flavors are accompanied by strong saline and rocky elements. In a very dry style but broad, rich and long. The hardest of these chardonnays to taste today but a wine with considerable potential.

Pale, bright yellow. Initially closed nose opened to reveal steely, Puligny-like white peach, nutmeg, mint and crushed stone aromas. Dense but airy and dry; tactile and silky-smooth but with a lovely light touch. Today this very subtle young wine is showing more minerality than primary fruit. Finishes broad and weightless. Give this a couple years in the cellar. This stunning set of chardonnays made by winemaker Graham Weerts, who is from South Africa, was one of the revelations of my tastings of California wine this spring.

Bright ruby-red. High-toned, sexy aromas of black cherry, blueberry, licorice, graphite and sweet oak. Plush, sweet and pliant, with a wonderfully polished texture to the intense flavors of brambly dark berry, coffee and licorice. Finishes lush and very long, with building, fine-grained tannins and considerable elegance. This will be even better for five or six years in the cellar.

Medium ruby. Reticent but very pure aromas of blueberry, cassis, licorice and menthol. Shockingly rich and sweet but very young, showing superb concentration to its cassis flavor complemented by sexy oak tones. This really vibrates on the very long finish, where the wine's powerful mountain tannins are buried in fruit. Less showy today than the Howell Mountain cabernet but with outstanding long-term potential.

Good medium ruby. An essence of cabernet on the nose, with blackberry, licorice and floral aromas complicated by an exotic suggestion of fruity tropical chocolate. Then large-scaled, fat and sweet in the mouth, with highly concentrated black raspberry and chocolate flavors. The powerful mountain tannins coat the front teeth. Like a cabernet syrup today, in need of at least seven or eight years of aging and likely to be long-lived.

Good full ruby. Elemental, extremely primary nose features grapey blackberry, licorice and violet pastille. Big, sweet, broad and creamy; a huge, powerful wine with slightly rustic flavors of dark chocolate and minerals. Finishes with compelling sweetness of fruit, and very broad tannins that arrive late. From a block of vines that was recently torn out due to phylloxera. The richest of this trio of cabernets. Winemaker Chris Carpenter notes that the intention here is to make three wines of place by using neutral winemaking techniques. The only difference among the wines is maceration times, he added. All three of these bottlings are close to 15% alcohol.

Nuanced and elegant, with aromas of citrus, resinous herbs and delicate white flowers. This is a fresh and pretty medium-bodied wine with thirst-quenching acidity. The crisp palate carries some savory notes as well. Drink now.

A full-bodied and flavorful wine with aromas of warm spices, apples, juicy limes and tart
pears. The palate shows succulent, just-ripe stone fruit flavors and a tangy finish. Drink
now.

Aromas of salted caramel, Bosc pears, wet stones and pine bark lead to a plush, fullbodied palate with juicy flavors of stone fruit and citrus oil and a long finish that shows a
resinous, herbal quality. Drink now.

A juicy, succulent, medium-bodied wine with aromas and flavors of sweet pears, apples, Meyer lemons and finger limes. Mouthwatering acidity leads to a long finish and a hint of sweet spices at the end. Drink now.

Concentrated aromas of perfumed pears, lemons and citrus blossoms. A juicy and plump
medium body leads to a finish of baking spices and hazelnuts. A full-bodied and
pleasurable wine. Drink now.

Based on 81% Merlot and 19% Malbec and aged in 51% new oak, the 2023 Merlot offers juicy black fruits, sappy herbs, sage, and violets, as well as some chocolaty goodness. It's medium to full-bodied, deep, rich, and textured on the palate, and is already impossible to resist. I'd be shocked if it didn't have 15-20 years of overall longevity. There are 262 cases produced. Drink 2025-2040.

The 2022 Cabernet Franc has 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot in the blend. Deep garnet-purple in color, it skips out of the glass with bright, cheery scents of kirsch, black raspberries, and red currants, leading to suggestions of wild thyme, rose bud tea, crushed rocks, and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is vibrant and refreshing, delivering savory-laced red berry flavors and a fine-grained texture, finishing long and fragrant.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon has 3% Petit Verdot in the blend. Deep garnet-purple in color, it springs from the glass with notes of black raspberries, blackcurrant pastilles, and kirsch notes, plus suggestions of cinnamon stick, dried mint, red roses, and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers intense, muscular fruit with a solid backbone of firm, grainy, and approachable tannins matched by lovely freshness, finishing with long-lingering earthy nuances.

Aged nine months in neutral French oak, this complex white shows notes of fresh linen, lime chiffon, pine nuts, and parchment. It has sleek, clean lines with a nice body feel. Herbes de Provence season lemon zest with a lilt of wet stone on the finish.

The NV Blanc de Blancs Souverain represents all the crus of Henriot planted to Chardonnay. It is 100% Chardonnay with less than 5 g/L of dosage and at least 3 years on lees. The vintage base for this is 2018, disgorged in 2024. Notes of juicy grapefruit, lemon tart, and lime blossoms pop from the glass, plus nuances of crushed rocks, coriander seed, and baker’s yeast. The palate is tightly wound and energetic with very fine bubbles and a very crisp backbone. It has a bone-dry signature, finishing long and zesty.

The 2022 Chardonnay Yamhill-Carlton was matured for 16 months in 15% new French oak and an additional four months in stainless steel. “This vineyard got hit very hard with frost, and we got about one ton per acre,” winemaker Shane Moore says. “But the quality I thought was really, really high.” It has singular, arresting aromas of ripe stone fruit, honey, dried mushrooms and soft ripened cheese. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and mouth coating with powerful, honeyed flavors. It’s balanced by slowly building acidity and has a long, dynamic finish. 1,456 cases were made.

Matured in 43% new French oak, the 2022 Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton has intense aromas of pomegranate, rhubarb, damp earth, mushrooms, tea leaves and spice. The medium-bodied palate is silky and seamless with layered, nuanced flavors, vibrant acidity and a long, spicy finish. 4,818 cases were made.

Base wines for the 2017 Blanc de Blancs were matured in barrels and stainless steel without malolactic conversion, and it spent six years en tirage. Disgorged in March of 2024, it has savory aromas of brioche, honey, roasted almonds and flint. The medium-bodied palate is dry and savory with a very fine, small-beaded mousse. Its energetic acidity is tempered by three grams per liter dosage, and it has a long, seamless finish. 201 cases were made.

The 2023 Grenache Flavorscape was fermented with 20% whole clusters and matured in around 50% new oak. It has a medium ruby color and gregarious aromas of raspberry, blueberry, cherry, powdered sugar and spicy undertones. Medium-bodied, it floods the mouth with elegant berry flavors and offers tempered ripeness. It’s framed by soft, chalky tannins and bright acidity and has a long, spicy finish.

Silene uses grapes from three comparatively cool sites in Stellenbosch and is the cheapest of Capensis' outstanding range of Chardonnays. Fermented in 30% new oak, as well as Austrian foudres, it has subtle wood spices, some cream from full malolactic, peach and citrus fruit flavours and a balanced finish. 2026-32

From Helderberg fruit, 2023 includes splashes merlot & cab franc. Masterclass in seamless integration of firm but lithe tannins into sumptuous core of dark fruit. Composed & fresh, 14 months in 30% new oak adding some dry cedar spicing to plush texture. Approachable, should give many more years drinking pleasure.

The 2018 Armoniza is a very pretty, appealing Knights Valley red. Dark plum fruit, mocha, incense, gravel and dried flowers all build in the glass. Persistent, sustained Knights Valley tannins lend shape and energy throughout. A closing burst of fruit punctuates the finish. The 2018 is impeccably done.

The 2021 Chardonnay Journey caresses the palate with tangerine oil, sweet spice, marzipan and a kiss of French oak. Understated and quite gracious, the 2021 emphasizes softness over textural richness. Floral and tropical overtones lend an exotic flair throughout.