The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain is rich and powerful even if it is a bit compact. Layers of blue and black fruit, graphite, minerals, smoke and pencil shavings come together in this intense Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2010 is quite pretty, but it also shows the limitations of the cold vintage on this part of Diamond Mountain.

Aromas of black cherry, licorice, menthol and cocoa powder. Supple, lush and broad, with enticing sweetness to the black raspberry and chocolate flavors. Not the last word in density or flesh but a nice concentrated wine with a ripe vein of acidity and rather easygoing tannins that give it lovely early appeal. Finishes long and pure.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain (from Keyes Vineyard) is a big, broad shouldered wine loaded with black fruit, smoke and licorice. Chocolate, blackberries, cinnamon, licorice and spices are wrapped around the plush, muscular finish.

Immense and powerful, with a rich, dense, chewy core of damp earth, dark berry, currant, dried herb and cedar, ending with a fresh asphalt aftertaste.

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain, which comes largely from the Reverie Vineyard, is the softest of this quartet and thus will show best over the near term. It exhibits a dark ruby/purple color along with notes of berry fruit, camphor, roasted herbs and crushed rocks, an elegant, medium to full-bodied style, silky tannins and an endearing opulence as well as freshness. It should drink well for 10-15 years. One of the stars in Jess Jackson's Artisans and Estates portfolio, Lokoya focuses on high elevation mountain vineyards in four separate Napa appellations. Winemaker Chris Carpenter has been the force behind these wines for many years.

Rich and gutsy, firmly tannic and deeply extracted, with dark berry, cedar, mineral and tobacco leaf. Ends with a plush, mouthcoating carpet of tannins.

Good full ruby. Wild, musky aromas of medicinal black cherry and blueberry, nutty oak and bitter chocolate. Lush and sweet, with a slightly liqueur-like quality to the fruit flavors without going roasted. Shows the sweetness of the vintage and finishes broad and long, with good verve. Winemaker Chris Carpenter notes that this site is a bit warmer than La Jota.

Bright ruby. Complex, ripe nose melds cassis, iron, bitter chocolate, mocha, tobacco and gravel. Lush and intense, with an impression of almost peppery energy to the blueberry and mineral flavors. Generous but not thick, and not at all a sweet style. This has a relatively low pH of 3.45. Finishes juicy, long and quite suave, with an even dusting of tannins. A very successful wine.

Bright ruby-red. Vinous aromas of cassis, minerals, licorice, tobacco and peppermint. Suave and complex on the palate, with a creamy texture but also excellent verve to the flavors of redcurrant, minerals and loam. Firmly structured cabernet, finishing with ripe, harmonious tannins and subtle persistence. A classy example of Diamond Mountain cabernet.

The softest, most flamboyant of this trio. It possesses a plump, seductive perfume of black currants, cherry liqueur, raspberries, plums, and figs, great ripeness, sweet tannin, full-bodied, powerful flavors, a silky palate, and an alluring voluptuousness. Drink it over the next 15+ years.

Good bright, saturated ruby. Very dark, briary aromas of kirsch, bitter chocolate, licorice and espresso, lifted by spices. Sweet, lush and creamy, with rich, deep flavors of berries and dark chocolate. Finishes with impressively sweet, fine tannins and excellent length.

Napa Valley’s Extraordinary 2016 Cabernets - Part 1 La Jota's 2016 Merlot is plush, rich and radiant, all qualities that can be enjoyed upon release. A dollop (4.5%) of Tannat and 5.5% Petit Verdot add explosive energy. Black cherry, grilled herb, pepper, new leather and mint all run through this plush, savory Merlot. This is very nicely done. Drink it over the next decade.

La Jota's 2014 Merlot is vibrant and powerful, partly from the inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in the blend. A spine of tannin and acidity shapes the wine nicely. Dark plum, cherry, spice, licorice and lavender flesh out in the glass. Unctuous and deep, but with tremendous depth and plenty of mountain character, the 2014 Merlot is a winner from La Jota.

This opaque and midnight purple colored Merlot from Howell Mountain opens blackberry and anise bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and easy going. The flavor profile is a tasty mineral infused black currant with notes of black licorice and oak. I also detected hints of black pepper and olive. The finish is dry and its moderate tannins stick around for quite a while. This Merlot would pair well with a veal chop.

La Jota Vineyard Co. has a long history that dates to 1898, when Frederick Hess founded the company in a remote, wind-swept hollow high on Howell Mountain. Winemaker Chris Carpenter is the man behind La Jota’s Howell Mountain wines, bringing some two decades of mountain winemaking experience with him. The blocks are nestled between forested areas, each bringing a distinctive story to the grapes and the wine. Power and elegance is the La Jota mandate and it has both in spades. The merlot is dense, and intense, with bright mulberry/blueberry fruit, excellent acidity, compelling lush tannins with dark chocolate and clove highlights. It’s spicy and persistently long and warm in the finish. The blend is 90/10 merlot/petit verdot that is cold-soaked for a more gentle extraction of colour, flavours and tannins, and fermented with native yeast in a mix of open and closed-top stainless-steel tanks before aging 19 months in oak. You could easily cellar this through 2025.

Over Achievers Some of our favorite most impressive wines from recent tastings.

Dark cherries, iron, smoke, leather, cedar and tobacco meld together in the 2012 Merlot. This is a distinctly red-toned, savory Merlot with considerable nuance and complexity. Hints of sage, rosemary and anise add nuance on the finish. Readers should expect an intense, mountain Merlot built more on structure than fruit. The 2012 is 100% Merlot from the La Jota and Keyes vineyards on Howell Mountain.

There are 645 cases of the dark purple-colored 2012 Merlot (100% Merlot), which offers up sumptuous notes of mocha, espresso, chocolate, black cherries and blackberries. This plump, sexy, fleshy, succulent, full-bodied Merlot is already complex and delicious. Drink it over the next 7-10 years.

A dazzling Merlot, rich and complex, offering immediately appealing waves of cherry pie, red currant, cola, mocha, brown sugar, cinnamon and sweet oak. Even though the tannins are thick, they're as soft as velvet. The structural integrity of this wine is pure Napa Valley and makes the wine particularly fine.

La Jota's 2015 Cabernet Franc is fleshy, dark and expressive. Mocha, espresso, grilled herbs, licorice and spice notes give the 2015 lovely aromatic depth to play off the natural richness of the fruit. There is a good bit of tannin that is going to need time to soften. This is very nicely done.

This opaque and very dark purple colored Cabernet Franc from La Jota was impressive in front of the Tasting Panel. It opens with a very perfumed bouquet featuring blueberry and Earl Grey tea. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, nicely balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a blend of blueberry, espresso and toasted oak. We also detected hints of blackberry and minerality mixed in. The finish is dry and its dusty tannins and fruit show very nice length. The Panel suggested pairing it with the American Kobe Cap Steak from Grill 23.

This opaque and very dark garnet colored Cabernet Franc from La Jota was the winner of a mini-blind tasting of Cab Francs from California. It opens with a blueberry and cherry bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, well-balanced and juicy. The flavor profile is a blend of blueberry and minerality with notes of blackberry and stewed plums. We also detected some hints of cherry-cola in the mix. The finish is dry and its huge tannins stick around for quite a while. Our mini-panel suggested decanting this Cab Franc in the near term and serving it with a well-marbled ribeye with some hush puppies on the side.

Tight, firm and austere; smooth with fine structure; elegant, tangy and long; balanced and made to last a long time.

Another compelling, delicious wine, La Jota's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous. Racy and opulent in the glass, the 2015 exudes depth in its plump, dark-fleshed fruit. Chocolate, plum and licorice infuse the finish in this opulent, flamboyant Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink it over the next decade or so.

This opaque and very dark purple colored Cabernet Sauvignon finished in second place in our Big Blind Tasting. It opens with a fragrant blueberry bouquet with notes of cherry-cola. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, very well-balanced, silky and fruit forward. The flavor profile is a blueberry and dark chocolate blend with notes of kirsch and oak. We also detected hints of currant and espresso. The finish is dry and its flavors and well-managed tannins show terrific length. This Cab would pair well with a short rib stew.