Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain gives up wonderfully expressive crème de cassis, licorice, tar and underbrush notes with hints of charcuterie and bay leaves. Big, rich, full and opulent in the mouth, it has firm, velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long with spice nuances coming through.

The famous Bosché Vineyard is a spot in Rutherford composed of gravelly, loamy soil and situated just at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains. A blend of 93.8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.2% Merlot, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Bosché Vineyard was aged 28 months in French oak. This vineyard has turned out many a classic wine capable of lasting 30-40 years, and this 2013 is one of the all-time great Bosché Cabernet Sauvignons. It offers an inky ruby/purple color, a gorgeous nose of graphite, black cherry, wood spice and barbecue notes, enormous body and richness, and a heady, full-bodied, long finish of 50+ seconds with moderately high tannins. This is a great classic from Napa, but not one for drinking over the near-term. Give it 7-8 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 50 years.

So concentrated, creamy and elegant, it
sits like a Sauternes (without the sugar)
with such great viscosity, length and a
touch of flinty restraint. Made from the
Hyde chardonnay clone, which accounts
for the creaminess and depth. Lemon
curd and poached pear flavors, a full
body and an ethereal texture. Drink
now or hold.

A lovely, honey- and almond-scented
wine that’s rich in lemon curd and
pineapple flavors on a supple but vivid
and lively texture. So layered and
creamy yet balanced to a T. Elegant,
concentrated and long in the finish. A
memorable bottle. Drink or hold.

Sycamore Vineyard is an 8.9ha site positioned at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains on very shallow, gravelly clay loam soils. The vines struggle here, a characteristic that reliably translates into wines marked by dried herb and savoury complexity. Aged for 19 months in 63% new French oak, the 2023 is remarkably fresh and inviting, delivering dazzling concentration across the palate. Before that intensity fully asserts itself, the aromatics unfurl with sumptuous, forest-infused spice of bay laurel, bay leaf, redwood and cedarwood. On the palate, the wine is captivating and full-flavoured, layered with graphite and salted dark chocolate, deeply rocky and earthy, establishing a superb mineral foundation for all this pristine, juicy dark fruit to wash over the palate. Extended cellaring will reward those patient enough to wait.

The idea behind this wine is that it is a mountain wine made for restaurants, and to that end, Chris Carpenter sources Cabernet Sauvignon from Mount Veeder. Building in the glass with youthful aromatics of ripe black and blue fruit layered with graphite and pressed wildflowers, underpinned by dark loamy earth, bright baking spice, and violet nuances. The tannins are velvety and iron-laced, yet noticeably softer in profile than those of the Lakoya Wines, carrying a cocoa-powder freshness and an ease that favours elegance over sheer mass. That elegance, or freshness factor, and approachable tannin make this a compelling wine for restaurant by-the-bottle programmes.

Since 1995, Lokoya has produced Cabernet Sauvignon from its Veeder Peak Estate, perched at 548 metres along the rugged western ridges of the Mayacamas Mountains. In 2023, the wine is a true shape-shifter. Effusive floral aromatics and generous red fruit initially suggest grace and delicacy. Yet beneath the surface lies formidable power. Soaring, iron-laced tannins build gradually before gripping the palate from every angle, multidimensional and intense, clearly benefiting from a proper decant. There's a Hugh Jackman quality about this, rugged and powerful, like the actor, yet graceful and lifted like Jackman's voice, delivering gravitas, yet able to hit all the high notes in the song, starting with heady, high-toned dark black fruit, ironstone minerality, and baritone tobacco nuances. The tannins are positively powerful, chewy and grippy, and the wine is deeply concentrated, full-bodied, yet somehow fresh, elevated, and energised.

The Diamond Mountain wine is highly approachable at this stage, sourced from a slightly warmer site and offering a seductive profile of dark chocolate-covered cherry, a touch of muscovado richness, bay laurel, and blue-fruited tones, with cassis and a subtle tobacco nuance. Full-bodied and expansive, it is framed by super-suave, velvety tannins that build through the generous, lingering finish, delivering both immediate appeal and satisfying depth.

There is so much refinement in this wine in 2023. It retains its characteristic power and intensity, yet the tannins are of such immense quality and precision that they gently support and glide the succulent dark fruit across the palate. Throughout, a deep ironstone mineral character shines clearly. On the back end, that expressiveness evolves into notes of loamy earth and wet slate, fuelled by a mix of dark berry fruit and finishing with a distinctly salted stone character that is wholly characteristic of this wine. Winemaker Chris Carpenter explains that La Jota’s wines tend to offer more generous, approachable tannins – making them ideal for restaurant lists. That accessibility, he notes, comes down to thoughtful decisions around clone, rootstock, and site selection (some of the vineyard blocks naturally yield softer, more inviting tannins, as opposed to dense, palate-etching structures; he seeks Cabernet Sauvignon expressions that are powerful and present, yet have a gentler texture). This blend was aged for 22 months in 73% new French oak.

Remarkably fresh and inviting, delivering dazzling concentration across the palate. Before that intensity fully asserts itself, the aromatics unfurl with sumptuous, forest-infused spice of bay laurel, redwood and cedar. A captivating, layered palate shows graphite and salted dark chocolate, deeply rocky and earthy, establishing a superb mineral foundation for all this pristine, juicy dark fruit to wash over.

The incredible 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills is from the Phinney and
Andrews vineyards, Andrews contributing massive tannins, while Phinney offers more
aroma and flavor. This is a great wine, lovely in rich red cherry-berry flavor with fluffy
tannins and Goldilocks herbaceousness. Medium to full-bodied, it holds its power well,
leading to a long finish of oak spice and more dried herb. Hold and drink 2028–2038.

From a site near Staglin on the western side of Rutherford that gets lots of afternoon shade, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyard is based on 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc and aged 19 months in 63% new French oak. First made in 1982, this cuvée offers ripe blue and black fruits intermixed with cedarwood, California bay, violets, and graphite, and it's another concentrated, medium to full-bodied, sensationally pure 2023 from winemaker Kristy Melton. It deserves 4-5 years if you can wait and is another 30-year wine in the lineup. There are 1,132 cases produced. Drink 2028-2055.

Based on 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot aged 19 months in 65% new French oak,
the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Bosché Vineyard comes from a site on the western
benchlands in Rutherford behind Grgich Hills. It's inky purple-hued and offers a brilliant
perfume of ripe blue fruits, crushed stone, freshly sharpened pencil, and cassis. This
powerful, full-bodied, incredibly pure 2023 has building tannins and a great finish. It will be
a 30+ year wine and is up there with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Hide bottles for
4-6 years if you can. There are roughly 1,258 cases produced. Drink 2029-205

Another serious, structured wine, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder reveals black and blue fruits, sappy herbs, violets, flowers, and graphite. Based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in 75% new oak, it's full-bodied, with a pure, focused mouthfeel, lots of tannins, and a seriously long finish. It has everything you'd expect from a brilliant mountain wine. There are 846 cases produced. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, and it will keep for 50 years. Drink 2032-2075.

Coming from a single site on Howell Mountain, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is another sensational, pure, heavenly wine from Chris that sports a deep purple hue as well as textbook aromatics of freshly sharpened pencil, crushed stone, liquid violets, and assorted red, black, and blue fruits on the nose. Based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in 80% new oak, it's full-bodied, with a deep, rich, layered mouthfeel, lots of ripe tannins, and a stunning finish. It's a mountain wine that needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for 30, 40, if not 50 years. There are 969 cases produced. Drink 2029-2075.

Spicy red and black fruits, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and savory flower notes all emerge
from the 2023 Red Wine, a blend of 61% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.5% Malbec,
7% Cabernet Franc, and 6.5% Petit Verdot aged in 68% new oak. It's ripe and concentrated,
with a deep, layered mid-palate, velvety tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It's another
sensational wine from winemaker Chris Carpenter that will keep for 30 years. There are 370
cases produced. Drink 2030-2055.

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder is the most obvious wine in this range, but it is also among the most elegant, polished and translucent. Crushed rose petal, bright redtoned fruit, chalk, mint, iron and white pepper are all beautifully delineated in this sculpted, taut, young Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. It demands patience. What a wine.

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain is laced with graphite, cloves, lavender, licorice, pencil shavings and crème de cassis. There's gorgeous depth and vertical intensity here. A wine of nearly indescribable beauty, the 2023 is pure and total seduction. It's another stellar effort from Chris Carpenter.

2021 was a lauded vintage in South Australia. It was long, mild and dry during the growing
season and well set up with healthy yields due to favorable conditions during flowering in
the spring of 2020. Here, the 2021 High Sands Grenache is just starting to emerge from its
shell—the tannins that wrap around the fruit are layered with graphite and dusted licorice,
dried rose petals and paprika dolce. The fruit is pure and speaks of soft black cherry and
pomegranate. This is a wine that, in the context of this lineup, has only just emerged from
"inchoate" and will, like the others, have an extraordinarily long life ahead of it.

The Jackson family purchased the Veeder Peak property in 1994, from which the fruit for this Lokoya bottling comes. The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder offers up fabulous spice notes, ranging from cinnamon and clove to anise and sage, all layered atop a darkfruited base of black cherries and cassis. Full-bodied, concentrated and rich, yet silky smooth, this is tannic but ripe and polished, balanced and long on the finish. Maybe the strongest of the Lokoya bottlings this year?

Sourced entirely from the Jackson Family's Keyes Vineyard, Lokoya's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain brings an aromatic hint of fir to its core of blueberry fruit, then adds a touch of savory mocha. A full-bodied wine, it has a wonderfully creamy, lush texture that envelops its considerable tannins, great concentration and a tremendously long finish. Great stuff, which should drink well for at least a couple of decades.

Beautiful fruit and dark spice flavors enjoy great balance and structure in this linear, almost muscular wine. Wonderful blackberries, black licorice, black cherries, blueberry pie, star anise and nutmeg, along with hints of wood char, tobacco leaves, dried cherries and pomegranates, give amazing complexity. Taut in texture, vertical drive, agile and muscular in fine-grained tannins, yet balanced and elegant. Drinkable now and best from 2032.

There’s an indulgent purity to the cassis fruit here. Scratched leather. Fresh leaf tobacco. Candlewax. Graphite by the nuclear reactor core full. A gloriously exuberant wine but also so cool and composed at the core. I find this fresher than La Muse and just as expressive of its Cabernet Sauvignon identity as Le Désir is of its Cabernet Franc identity. Plump and juicy on the finish. Exquisite. 

The 2022 Pinot Noir Slope displays a deeper, jeweled ruby hue and offers remarkable depth. Aromas of raspberry liqueur, leather, crushed flowers, and grenadine lead into a concentrated, finely structured palate with velvety tannins and mineral persistence. This contemplative, seamless wine unfolds beautifully and leaves a lasting impression. Drink 2026-2045.

 It's hard to pick favorites from this brand's always stellar lineup, but this clonal selection
from Machado Vineyard earns very high marks this vintage. Fascinatingly delicious aroma
of cherry compote, black raspberry sorbet and alluring mint show on the nose. The vibrant
palate is addictively quaffable, throwing cherry candy and spearmint clippings atop a
grippy texture.