Coming from vines planted in the early 1990s, the 2023 Chardonnay Broken Road Vineyard pours a pale silver/yellow hue and is elegant and restrained with honeydew melon, white flowers, and stony minerality. Medium-bodied and silky, it carries dewy freshness, finesse, and lovely length. I love the stoniness and lacy texture here. Drink 2026-2040.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Rockfall Vineyard is a saturated purple/black color and was sourced from 2,200-foot elevation vineyards above the fog line, where the tiny berries and thick skins see tremendous sunlight exposure. Aromas of licorice, cassis, crushed lavender, graphite, pine, and gravelly earth emerge from the glass. Full-bodied and plush, it moves seamlessly across the palate with velvety tannins and luxurious fruit while retaining impressive drive through the finish. Drink 2027-2050.

Choosing favorites amongst these Pinot Noirs is always tough, but this is certainly one of this vintage's stars. Intense wild berry aromas are plump yet enhanced with woodmint on the nose. The palate pops with tarragon and peppercorn spices that decorate the zesty black cherry core.

Caladan was born out of conversations winemaker Chris Carpenter had with the hospitality team at Cardinale. While Cardinale is known for its multi-appellation Cabernet Sauvignon blend, Carpenter began thinking about the Cabernet Franc they have planted across all four of Napa’s mountain AVAs, and wondered if he could craft a similar expression, but with Cabernet Franc as the focus. He saw the growing momentum behind his mountain Cabernet Francs under the Mt. Brave and La Jota labels, but with Caladan, he set out to create something more elegant. He envisioned the red fruit and floral lift of Spring Mountain, the minerality of Diamond Mountain, and complementary blending components from Howell Mountain and Mount Veeder. The result is his homage to Cheval Blanc. The 2023 is primarily driven by Spring Mountain and Diamond Mountain fruit and is composed of 93% Cabernet Franc and 7% Merlot, the latter sourced entirely from Spring Mountain, aged for 22 months in 68% new French oak. Utterly suave and super-expressive, it delivers ultra-dark berry fruit layered with sagebrush and perfumed rose-petal notes, alongside exotic spice. Blood orange acidity keeps the wine lifted and bright, with crushed-stone minerality guiding the long, full-bodied finish.

Chris Carpenter calls this one of the most challenging wines he makes. “There are no guardrails,” he says. “It just has to include all five Bordeaux varieties. This wine is all over the board, and the goal is to create something seamless using fruit from our four mountain estates—something that stands apart from the Cabernet Franc–driven profile of Caladan.” After native fermentations, the components were aged for 22 months in 68% new French oak. The result is a true enigma of a red wine: layered, textural, and complex, with elements drawn from across the valley. Howell and Diamond Mountain contribute dark blue and black fruit; Spring Mountain brings red fruit and spice; Mount Veeder lends herbal nuance. This wine is so bright and fresh, layered with cassis, black cherry, and blackberry fruit, with a luscious, supple fruit core and a racy spine of juicy acidity.

Winemaker Chris Carpenter believes the energy of mountain sunlight, combined with the right balance of Napa soils, creates ideal conditions for Merlot with both depth and structure. A small proportion of Petit Verdot is layered in for savouriness and a tannic backbone, complementing the naturally luscious character of the Merlot fruit. Grapes are sourced from the La Jota Vineyard Co. and Keyes Vineyard estate vineyards. Fermentation takes place in open-top stainless steel tanks using native yeasts, with pump-overs and basket pressing. Carpenter personally tastes every basket press cut, making precise, hands-on decisions throughout. The wine is then aged for 22 months in 73% new French oak. When asked whether he considers his wines more acid-driven or tannin-driven, Carpenter explains that the energy of the wine comes from very fresh acidity, while the chewiness of the tannins (derived from mountain-grown fruit) provides the structure. Acidity, he notes, is a defining feature of mountain wines overall, while tannins vary markedly from site to site. In this vintage, the wine is ultra-concentrated yet remarkably cool-toned, showing a subtle minty freshness alongside ironstone minerality—very much the 'iron fist in a velvet glove' metaphor. Ultra-fine tannins underpin almost unbelievable power, carrying layers of intoxicating fruit richness and Asian spice through a long, commanding, and beautifully balanced finish.

In 2023, Chris Carpenter introduced a portion of Malbec, feeling it helped flesh out the Merlot, which he thought was a little angular on its own, while also adding a welcome layer of spice. The wine is aged for 22 months in 51% new French oak. The result is refreshing, polished, smooth, and suave: descriptors I’ve often used for wines from this vintage, but which also perfectly encapsulate Carpenter’s style here. There is a level of polish bordering on the obsessive, like a sports car endlessly detailed but rarely driven. This, however, is a wine you should absolutely take out of the garage (or, in this case, the cellar). Once in the glass, it revs up with inky dark berry fruit and Asian spice, carried by ultra-fine, focused tannins that are remarkably smooth. A spine of juicy acidity runs through the core, supporting the building tannin structure and keeping the wine energetic, precise, and so drinkable.

Sleek, spicy and fresh-tasting, alive
with cinnamon, raspberry and red
cherry flavors. Full-bodied yet lively
and mouthwatering due to good
acidity and lots of whole clusters in
the fermentation. Drink or hold.

In 1972, the partners at Freemark Abbey entered into a long-term agreement with John Bosché for his Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, fruit that had previously been sold to Beaulieu Vineyard as a key component of its flagship Georges de Latour Private Reserve. Since 1970, Freemark Abbey has produced Cabernet Bosché from this historic site. The 8.9 hectare Bosché Vineyard sits on a gravelly bench with a high water table, requiring careful management to control vine vigour. The wine is composed of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, aged for 19 months in 63% new French oak. In the glass, it is deeply coloured and inky, delivering lush, succulent black fruit laced with brown spice, rich cocoa powder, and salted dark chocolate nuances. The tannins are extremely precise and fine-grained, carrying impressive length. Ultra-dark and savoury, the wine combines full-bodied richness with a distinctive lightness of dusty mineral energy – a hallmark of Rutherford and of this storied site in particular.

Aromas of leather, cedar, crushed wild blackberries and red raspberries alongside perfume and savory pine. Mouth-filling acidity and luscious red and black fruit flavors marry seamlessly with finely tuned tannins and a long finish. Pure and focused. Delicious. Drink or hold.

Planted in 1982, Upper Barn is, in my opinion, one of the most distinctive Chardonnay sites in Sonoma. It’s a vineyard that naturally leans into an expressive herbal character, delivering a wine that’s unapologetically itself. The 2022 opens with a very aromatic profile: wild chamomile, lemongrass, citrus oils, and a savoury thread of mountain herbs. The palate is rich yet layered, with a nutty note reminiscent of Spanish turrón and a lift of orange water, accompanied by a gentle phenolic grip. The texture is silky with a finish that is long and lifted.

From Les Collines and 50% whole-cluster, the all-varietal 2023 Syrah is aged in neutral French oak for 20 months and not yet co-fermented with Viognier, though that may be the case in future vintages. Meaty, fluffy tannins form a core of structure around rich layers of medium-bodied sweet and savory character, all white pepper and brambleberry and supple, velvety texture. This is an outstanding wine with only 145 cases made. Drink now through 2035.

From two blocks at the top of the hill, at near 1,600-feet elevation, the full-bodied 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Skysill Vineyard has smooth tannins and salty, leathery berry fruit. Vibrant and present, one of the blocks is always the last to ripen, contributing to that savory, cooler-climate complexity. There’s ample complexity and ageable structure to go another 10–15 years if not longer.

Cocoa powder on the nose, Chinese five spice - aromatic spices for sure - with dark berry fruit and some menthol notes too. Finely grained and streamlined, this has a poised core, direct and svelte, not so much richness or concentration with the Cabernets more delineated and straight but still with layers and depth. I this this has lots of personality and great ripeness without being overpowering. If I had the money I'd buy a case and share the bottles with lots of friends during fun dinner parties. Great stuff with so much energy, I love it. 6% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Owner Jackson Family Wines with director and winemaker Pierre Seillan of Château Lassègue in St-Emilion.

The 2021 season in South Australia was a ripper—long, mild, free from viticultural disaster or major risk—and the best wines show superb balance and longevity. This 2021 The Peake Cabernet Shiraz comprises 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Shiraz, and this was a result of discussions between winemaker Chris Carpenter and late Yangarra winemaker Pete Fraser—the Cabernet just looked so good in this season. The wine shows immense power and balance, with mineral freshness, graphite tannins and great length. It shows the best of the season. This has grown substantially since I last tasted it, and most certainly for the better. My initial assessment noted that the tannins are fresh and ashy, making for a chewy, pliable sort of finish, and this remains relevant again here today. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

The 2015 The Peake Cabernet Shiraz hails from the excellent 2015 vintage. It is brighter and more intense than the 2014 vintage tasted alongside. The cepage here reflects that of the 2014 vintage: 56% Cabernet and the balance Shiraz. This has a higher register of spice and denser base of fruit and tannin, yet it feels eminently perfumed and long. This is an excellent wine here, looking sensational at the end of its 10th year from harvest. This vintage, as with the 2014 vintage, was also made alongside Charlie Seppelt. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

The 2022 Le Désir is tremendous. A wine of poise, balance and immeasurable depth, the 2022 is so lifted and bright, almost radiant in its technicolor vibrancy and beguiling Franc character. Blood orange zest, bittersweet chocolate, lavender, dried herbs and iron filings march across the palate, saturating the palate with intense yet perfectly measured concentration. Le Désir boasts a very intense structure, but also a sense of immediacy and fine beauty that is impossible to miss. Magnificent.

Super clear, barely any hue at all in the glass. The classic provençal nose of subtle red fruit and white flower. Wonderful on the palate, just a delight. Sure, it’s subtle and reserved but near impeccable balance with lovely fruit and an acidity that persists for days.

Gorgeously pure aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, scorched earth, and mineral nuances all define the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot aged in 73% new oak. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with plenty of ripe tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish that's very much in the pure, structured style of the vintage. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades. There are 2,683 cases produced. Drink 2029-2049.

Composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2022 La Joie has a deep garnet-purple color. It springs from the glass with bold notes of black currant preserves, baked plums, and juicy blueberries, followed by suggestions of mint tea, underbrush, and lilacs. The full-bodied palate has a rock-solid structure of grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the generous black fruit layers, finishing long with a minty lift.

This is taut, concentrated and very fine. There’s a lovely purity to the lemon and lime fruit, with just a slight hint of peach and pear richness, showing lovely crystalline fruit with a stony minerality sitting underneath. Not showy: this is restrained and intense with lovely precision, and potential for development. One of Australia’s great Chardonnays.

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain is a classy, elegant wine. It shows all the f inesse of Spring Mountain, with a fair amount of tannin. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, spice and blood orange open with some reluctance. The Spring Mountain Cabernet is usually more sensual and approachable in the early going. The 2023, on the other hand, needs quite a bit of time.

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon from Cardinale is dense and packed to the core. Dark red cherry, plum, mocha, spice and espresso all race across the palate. Cardinale is a blend of top sites across Napa Valley, both valley floor and mountain, which yields a more plush, generous Cabernet Sauvignon relative to the wines Chris Carpenter makes from pure mountain sites. There's a bit more new oak imprint as well

Notably complete, with aromas of fresh flowers, cherries, wild berries, graphite, minerals,
plum skins and blood orange. The palate is silken, with no hard edges, finely tuned tannins
and notes of five spice and red and blue fruits, plus an herbal, savory edge. Excellent, with
plenty of flair. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

This wine is all about nerve and minerality, with aromas of lemon pith, lime blossoms,
honeysuckle, grapefruit, oyster shells and struck matches. The palate is powerful and
tightly wound, with notes of crushed stones, gingerbread, cordial, lime curd, pastry and
sherbet. Flashy and concentrated, with a fine line of acidity, this is a great example of the
new wave of Australian chardonnay. Excellent. Drink or hold. Screw cap.